Twenty-eight people were injured – one critically – in a crash involving an overturned tour bus on Interstate 490 in Chili Thursday morning.
Here’s what we know about the single-vehicle crash on the highway:
What caused the bus crash on I-490 in Rochester NY?
Monroe County sheriff’s deputies are investigating the crash in which the westbound tour bus overturned on the highway, near Union Street in Chili, around 7:10 a.m. It was not immediately known why the bus crashed or what caused it to flip over, Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter at a mid-morning news conference at the scene. The first deputies at the scene found the bus on its side, rotated 180 degrees, with two people still inside and numerous injured passengers walking along the highway “in a state of confusion,” he said. “It was surreal.”
How serious were the injuries in bus crash on I-490?
In all, 28 people on the bus were transported to area hospitals with injuries that ranged from very minor to critical. One passenger suffered critical injuries and was one of two people removed from the bus by first responders, said Frank Manzo, chief of CHS HealthCare, who led emergency care efforts at the scene.
Baxter said deputies are concerned about the most seriously injured passenger. That passenger, who was one of more than a dozen of those injured taken to Strong Memorial Hospital, was undergoing emergency surgery on Thursday, according to a hospital official.
Chief Deputy Michael Fowler noted that everyone on the bus – 27 adults and one child – were transported to area hospitals. Many of the passengers suffered minor injuries and were expected to be treated and released on Thursday, deputies said. More than 100 first responders were called to the scene – with 18 ambulances from across Monroe and Genesee counties, authorities said during the news conference. New York State Police also assisted at the scene.
How to check on passengers involved in Rochester NY bus crash
Monroe County sheriff’s deputies ask relatives of passengers to call MCSO’s Family Liaison Office at (585) 753-4455 for more information on their injured loved ones.
Where was the tour bus going?
The bus was headed to Niagara Falls and had just stopped to drop passengers in Rochester before the crash, Fowler said.
The FlixBus bus – operated by Tribal Sun Bus Company in Massachusetts – left New York City around midnight and traveled northwest, making stops in communities along the Thruway throughout the morning, Baxter said.
More: Tour bus crash near Rochester is one of several in NY since 2002: The list
How long will I-490 be closed?
A portion of the highway’s westbound lanes were expected to remain closed until well into Thursday afternoon, as Monroe County sheriff’s deputies investigate at the scene. The closure is between exits 3 and 4 on I-490.
The eastbound lanes were closed for more than two hours after the crash, but reopened around 9:45 a.m., deputies said.
What about the bus driver?
The driver was cooperative at the scene, Fowler said, adding that deputies had no reason to believe drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash. The driver was also transported to an area hospital to be treated for minor injuries.
Fowler said that due to the nature of the mass casualty crash, it will be treated as a criminal investigation, “not because we believe any criminal act was involved,” but to ensure that the crash involving a commercial vehicle and more than two dozen passengers was thoroughly investigated.
Statement from FlixBus
FlixBus on Thursday morning issued a statement regarding the crash:
“We are aware of the accident near Churchville, NY. Our team is actively working with the bus operator to understand the details and provide necessary assistance to passengers. Please note that FlixBus is not a bus operator; all schedules are operated by third-party bus companies. We will continue to seek updates from the bus operator and authorities as the investigation progresses. We have no additional information to share at this time.”
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul weighs in
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Thursday morning issued a statement following the tour bus crash.
“Earlier this morning, a large bus with multiple passengers rolled over on the I-490 west of the City of Rochester. State Police and Department of Transportation are on scene coordinating with local first responders on rescue operations. To allow first responders to do their jobs, the I-490 is closed in both directions between exits 4 and 3, and drivers are encouraged to find alternate routes. I join the people of New York in praying for the well-being of all involved in this serious incident and am deeply grateful for the heroic efforts of our first responders.”
What’s next?
Deputies will interview the driver and passengers on the bus, collect and review evidence at the scene, including video from cameras on the bus. They will also move the bus to a secure facility to inspect and evaluate the bus. Bus and company records will also be reviewed. Fowler said he expected a “lengthy investigation.”
Includes reporting by staff writers Emily Barnes and Kerria Weaver
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Tour bus crashes on I-490 in Rochester NY: Dozens injured