Five people died and dozens were injured after a bus hit six cars on Interstate 95, one of the busiest roads on the East Coast of the United States, in the state of Virginia.
The accident occurred in the early hours of Friday (29), local time, according to the Virginia State Police. Another 44 people were injured in the collision. Three of them suffered serious injuries.
Traffic was slow in the southbound lanes of I-95 due to a construction area ahead when vehicles.
Four of the five victims were in the same vehicle, including two children, while the fifth was in another car. The victims ranged in age from 7 to 45, according to Matt Demlein of the Virginia State Police.
The bus was operated by North Carolina-based E&P Travel and was headed from New York to Charlotte, also in North Carolina, when the accident occurred, according to state police. There were 34 people on board.
The driver, identified as 48-year-old Jing S. Dong, was among those injured. Authorities are investigating Dong’s “actions before the accident” and charges against him are pending, Demlein added.
A CNN reached out to E&P Travel for comment.
O NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) will send a team to conduct a safety investigation into the collision, said Sarah Sulick of the NTSB.
“My sympathies are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and I am praying for the speedy recovery of those injured,” he said. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger em a statement.
“While most lanes have now reopened, please continue to give first responders space so they can work safely while you travel,” the governor added.
