At least one adult was dead and 45 others were injured after a bus carrying students from Farmingdale High School overturned and fell off the road on I-84 in Wawayanda, Orange County, New York according to the local officials as the passengers were being taken to a band camp in Pennsylvania Thursday.
The bus crash took place westbound. Among the injured, five of the minors were critical. The wounded were taken to the Westchester County Medical Center and Garnet Health Medical Center in Wallkill, according to local media reports.
Authorities in the area closed the Westbound lanes at exit 15 for the investigation and according to the New York State Police, the highway was expected to be closed for several hours.
State officials also noted that all children who were on the bus had been accounted for. Efforts were being carried out to tow the crashed bus away.
There were six buses in a caravan carrying students from Farmingdale High School. As per the schedule, people on the other buses were to take a break at a community college and meet with counsellors before moving to Long Island.
Governor Kathy Hochul in a statement stated: "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."
Faculty members and other students of the Farmingdale High School were shocked to hear about the accident.
"My niece is on one of the other buses, she's okay. It's terrifying," Howitt Middle School teacher Donna Baltch said.
"These kids go on a trip to have fun, this is something that they look forward to all year, and these poor teachers, these chaperones, I'm hearing mixed things, we don't know if they're okay. Right now, we are just praying and hoping they're okay."