WAWAYANDA, N.Y. — One person is dead after a charter bus overturned on Interstate 84 in Orange County near the town of Wawayanda, about two hours northwest of New York City.
The bus was one of six carrying the Farmingdale High School marching band. The band – roughly 300 students in total – were all headed to band camp in Greeley, Penn. One of the six buses went through the wire barrier, down the embankment, and overturned.
The cause of the bus crash wasn’t immediately known.
It happened shortly before 1:30 p.m.
New York State Police are expected to hold a news conference on the crash at 6 p.m. We will have live coverage on CBS News New York.
“The vehicle operator, Regency Transportation of Nesconset, N.Y., has valid operating authority from the State Department of Transportation and a valid semi-annual inspection. The driver is properly licensed,” New York state’s Department of Transportation said in a statement.
Injured being treated, students on other buses to head home
Initial reports suggest that 45 people were on the bus involved in the accident, and five were critically injured. Multiple other injuries were reported. Some of the injured were taken to Garnet Health Medical in Middletown, N.Y. Three were taken to Westchester Medical Center. Some were also taken to Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis and others to St. Anthony’s Community Hospital in Warwick.
Family reunification was set up at SUNY Orange College. CBS New York’s Shosh Bedrosian’s spotted four of the buses that were not involved in the crash there. They have since departed.
Destefano said the plan for the students who were on the buses not involved in the crash was for them to return to Farmingdale Thursday evening.
Bus was from Farmingdale High School, headed for band camp
Students from Farmingdale High School told CBS New York’s Jennifer McLogan the bus involved in the crash was carrying ninth graders.
The students were expected to be at the band camp from Thursday to Sunday.
Related: Farmingdale High School students express shock, sorrow after learning of charter bus crash
Video from the scene showed the charter bus in the median of Interstate 84. It appears as though the bus may have rolled down part of the slope in the median before coming to rest on its side.
Numerous emergency responders were visible on the scene. Windows on one side of the bus had been smashed out, and a ladder was raised along the side of the bus near the broken windows.
Equipment was being brought in to recover the bus from the ravine, CBS New York photojournalist Don Collins reported. Collins described emergency responders at the scene as being in “recovery mode.” He described at least 20 emergency vehicles at the scene.
“I have been briefed on the tragedy in Orange County where a bus filled with high school students was involved in an accident, leading to injuries and one fatality. At my direction, personnel from the New York State Police and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services are onsite to assist local emergency response teams,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. “We are grateful for the first responders whose speedy action saved lives and we will continue to support them however necessary. Our hearts are with all who are impacted by this horrific situation.”
New York State Police said Interstate 84 westbound was closed at Exit 15.
