3 adults, 2 youngsters killed after Charlotte-bound E&P Travel bus that crashed on Interstate 95 in Virginia

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — Authorities have launched the names of the 5 individuals killed after a bus struck six automobiles on Interstate 95 south in Stafford County early Friday morning.

The preliminary investigation discovered visitors was slowing for a piece zone on the interstate when a bus operated by North Carolina-based E&P Travel crashed right into a Chevrolet SUV, a Virginia State Police spokesperson stated. The Chevrolet was then pressured into an Acura SUV and extra automobiles. The bus additionally hit further vehicles, officers stated.

Aerial video exhibits I-95 bus crash that killed a number of individuals, injured dozens

Four of the individuals killed have been within the Acura that caught fireplace after the collisions: a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old girl, a 13-year-old lady and a 7-year-old boy from Greenfield, Mass.

The fifth sufferer, a 25-year-old girl from Worcester, Mass., was within the Suburban that was hit by the bus.

Officials stated 44 individuals, three with essential accidents, have been taken to space hospitals in Fredericksburg and Stafford.

“We’ve got patients in multiple hospitals. We’ve got the driver at a hospital here,” stated Peyton Vogel, a Federal Transit Administration spokesperson who was on the scene. “I’ve got to say, this is one of the most tragic things I’ve ever seen. Absolutely tragic.”

Virginia State Police

Mary Washington Healthcare stated it obtained 19 sufferers from the crash. It posted on-line that seven of the sufferers have been taken to its trauma heart in Fredericksburg, the place 4 have been being discharged and three remained in therapy — one in critical situation and two in essential situation. Twelve have been taken to its hospital in Stafford, the place they have been later discharged in good situation.

Charges are pending towards the bus driver, 48-year-old Jing S. Dong from Staten Island. He was additionally injured within the crash.

The bus, which was carrying 34 passengers, was touring from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, officers stated.

The National Transportation Safety Board posted on-line Friday that it was sending a “go-team” to conduct a security investigation into the crash.

The crash occurred round 2:35 a.m. on the 146-mile marker, close to the 610-Garrisonville exit, troopers stated. That is roughly midway between the communities of Aquia and Triangle.

The crash closed I-95 south for simply over 4 hours. All lanes of the interstate had reopened by midday, however visitors was nonetheless backed up for a few miles, VDOT officers stated.

This is a creating story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom when you’ve got further data to share.