Two people were killed and about 20 others were injured after a coach bus crashed, flipped over the median and landed in oncoming traffic on the Long Island Expressway in Queens late Monday night, authorities said.
The crash happened around 11:45 p.m. on Monday, June 29, as the bus was traveling westbound near Greenpoint Avenue, according to the New York Police Department.
Police said the coach bus, driven by a 35-year-old man, first struck another vehicle. That vehicle then slammed into a second car.
The bus then flipped over the center median and crossed into the eastbound lanes of the highway, where it collided with two more vehicles, according to a preliminary investigation by the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad.
The bus driver and one passenger were pronounced dead, police confirmed. Their names have not yet been released as authorities work to notify their families.
“The identity of the deceased are being withheld pending proper family notifications,” the NYPD said in a statement.
CBS New York reported that 20 people were injured in the crash, citing police.
One driver who had been traveling eastbound was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Three other drivers involved in the wreck were transported to local hospitals and are believed to be in stable condition, police said.
About two dozen bus passengers were also taken to area hospitals, including Bellevue Hospital, New York-Presbyterian Queens and Elmhurst Hospital Center, to be evaluated, according to ABC7 New York.
“All other passengers on the Coach Bus were transported to local area hospitals in stable condition,” the NYPD said.
The massive crash brought emergency crews rushing to the scene. More than 70 fire and emergency services workers responded to the multi-vehicle wreck, CBS New York reported.
The Long Island Expressway was shut down in both directions after the crash, leaving traffic at a standstill. Drivers were eventually told to reverse and exit the highway through an off-ramp, according to the outlet.
The NYPD said the investigation remains ongoing by the Highway District Collision Investigation Squad.
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