Accident involving Greyhound bus and trailer in Illinois kills 3, injures 14, police announced | Wagon Radio 720

HIGHLAND, Illinois (AP) – Three people were killed, 14 after a Greyhound bus struck three tractor-trailers parked along a highway exit heading to a rest stop in southern Illinois early Wednesday morning. People were injured, some seriously, state police said.

Illinois State Police said an initial investigation revealed that a Greyhound passenger bus was traveling west on Interstate 70 in Madison County around 1:55 a.m. and stopped at the exit ramp to Silver Lake Rest Area. It turned out to have hit three tractor-trailers.

“Three people have been confirmed dead, several others were taken to hospital with serious injuries, four were taken by helicopter and at least 10 by ambulance,” the state police said in a news release. . Police have not released specific details about injuries or fatalities.

The agency said no one was injured in the three trucks involved in the accident near the city of Highlands, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of St. Louis.

State Police spokeswoman Melanie Arnold said all the casualties were on the Greyhound bus. She didn’t know if the bus driver was among the casualties, or if everyone involved was a passenger.

Arnold said no additional information was immediately available about the circumstances of the crash that closed Interstate 70 to westbound traffic.

Television footage from the scene showed the right front of the bus, which was badly damaged, wedged between the rear of the tractor. The roof of the bus is crumpled. A second tractor-trailer appears to have struck the right rear of the bus, and a third tractor-trailer appears to have struck the rear of the second bus.

Greyhound spokesman Mike Oglnick told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the bus is heading from Indianapolis to St. Louis and is expected to arrive around 2:20 a.m. with about 30 people on board, including the driver. said in an email. He said.

“Our primary concern is ensuring that passengers and drivers are taken care of at this time,” Ogrunick said. “We are working closely with local authorities and a relief bus has been dispatched for passengers.”

Another bus was dispatched to carry the uninjured passengers, Ogrunick said.