Tour Bus Crash Near Pembroke, NY, Claims Multiple Lives
PEMBROKE, N.Y. (AP) — A tour bus returning to New York City from Niagara Falls crashed on Friday afternoon, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries among the 51 passengers.
According to New York State Police, the bus lost control on I-90 near Pembroke, approximately 25 miles east of Buffalo, causing windows to shatter and people to be ejected. “We have multiple fatalities, multiple entrapments, and multiple injuries,” Trooper James O’Callaghan reported, noting that children were among the passengers.
Emergency responders, including several ambulances and three Mercy Flight helicopters, transported the injured to local hospitals. Erie County Medical Center confirmed it received at least eight patients by 2:10 p.m.
The bus was eastbound when it veered into the median and ended up in a ditch on the right side of the roadway. O’Callaghan stated, “The driver is alive and well” and is cooperating with investigators, who believe they have a clear understanding of the cause of the crash.
Witnesses described shattered windows and debris scattered across the road. “There was glass all over the road and people’s stuff all over the road,” stated Powell Stephens of Medina.
The New York State Thruway Authority closed a significant stretch of I-90 in both directions, advising drivers to avoid the area. Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences on social media and confirmed her office is coordinating with local officials and police.
The investigation is ongoing, with multiple agencies dispatched to the scene.