Page 7 - AT

A7
U.S. NEWS Monday 6 January 2020

5 dead, 60 hospitalized in

Pennsylvania Turnpike crash

GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) — There were 25 victims trans- closed in both directions
A deadly crash involving ported to Excela Frick Hos- indefinitely. Local fire and
a passenger bus and mul- pital in Mt. Pleasant, Ex- emergency medical crews
tiple other vehicles on the cela Health spokeswoman are on scene, along with a
Pennsylvania Turnpike left Robin Jennings said. Nine hazardous material com-
five dead and dozens in- of those patients are under pany cleaning up fuel and
jured early Sunday, shutting the age of 18. other materials. A towing
down a large portion of the At least one of the 25 vic- company is getting ready
highway. tims initially sent to Excela to begin separating the
Officials said at least 60 was transported to a near- vehicles and getting them This image from video provided by KDKA TV shows the scene
near Greensburg, Pa.
people, with victims rang- by trauma center. cleared.q Associated Press
ing from 7 to 52 years old, "I haven't personally wit-
were hospitalized after nessed a crash of this mag-
the crash that happened nitude in 20 years," Pennsyl-
at 3:40 a.m. in Westmore- vania Turnpike spokesman
land County, around 30 Carl DeFebo told WTAE,
miles (50 kilometers) east calling it the worst acci-
of Pittsburgh. Stephen Li- dent in his decades-long
mani, Pennsylvania State tenure with the turnpike.
Police spokesperson, said "It's horrible."
at a press conference that The National Transportation
none of the injuries are Safety Board announced
considered life-threaten- Sunday that it dispatched
ing, though two patients a team of more than a doz-
remain in critical condition. en to investigate.
Limani said the bus, op- Officials said it was too ear-
erated by a New Jersey- ly to determine if weath-
based company called er was a main factor in
Z & D Tours, was traveling the crash. The National
from Rockaway, New Jer- Weather Service forecast
sey, to Cincinnati, Ohio. for Westmoreland County
It was first struck by two early Sunday listed light un-
tractor-trailers, then anoth- known precipitation and
er truck and a passenger an air temperature just
car. Photos from the scene below freezing. Angela
show a mangled collision Maynard, a tractor-trailer
of multiple vehicles includ- driver from Kentucky, said
ing an overturned bus, two the roads were wet from
tractor-trailers, a passenger snow but not especially
car and a smashed FedEx icy. Maynard was traveling
truck that left packages eastbound on the turnpike
sprawled along the high- when she came upon the
way. crash site and called 911.
"It was kind of a chain-re- "It was horrible," she told
action crash," Limani said. The Tribune-Review. She
FedEx did not provide any saw lots of smoke but no
other details besides that fire. She and her co-driver
they are cooperating with found one person trapped
authorities. A message in their truck and another
seeking comment was left lying on the ground.
Sunday with the bus com- "I tried to keep him oc-
pany. cupied, keep talking, un-
Limani would not identify til medical help arrived,"
those killed or say which ve- Maynard said. "He was in
hicles they were traveling in bad shape. He was float-
because families have not ing in and out of conscious-
yet been notified. ness." The highway remains