by Three people were killed and at least 14 others injured when a Greyhound bus crashed into tractor-trailers parked on the side of the highway in southern Illinois early Wednesday morning, authorities said.
The incident happened just before 2 a.m. on the west side of Interstate 70 in Madison County, according to the Illinois State Police.
An initial investigation “indicates that a Greyhound passenger bus with passengers was traveling westbound on Interstate 70 and struck three parked commercial motor vehicles on the Silver Lake rest area exit ramp westbound Interstate 70,” state police said in a statement.
«Three deaths are confirmed and several more were taken to a hospital with serious injuries, four by helicopter and at least 10 by ambulance,» the statement said.
State police spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said the dead and injured were all on the Greyhound bus.
The identities of the deceased and the injured were not provided by the authorities.
Greyhound said in a statement Wednesday that the passenger bus, schedule number 1675, was traveling from Indianapolis to St. Louis.
“Several passengers, including our driver, have been transported to the hospital,” Greyhound said. “Our main concern is to make sure we take care of our passengers and the driver at this time. We are working closely with local authorities.”
The crash closed the westbound lanes and a ramp to the rest area until around noon Wednesday, state police said in a statement. cheep.
Photos and television footage show the open side of the bus and the crumpled roof.
Greyhound spokesman Mike Ogulnick told The Associated Press that the bus was scheduled to arrive in St. Louis around 2:20 am. It was carrying about 30 people, including the driver, he said.
Another bus was dispatched to carry passengers who were not injured, Ogulnick said.
In Illinois, it is illegal for trucks to park on exit ramps. But trucking industry experts say tractor-trailers often stop there because it can be hard to find overnight parking at rest stops and truck stops.
