5 dead and more than 50 injured in Pennsylvania Turnpike crash
Five people are dead and more than 50 injured in a crash Sunday on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Three tractor trailers, one bus and a passenger vehicle were involved in the crash, which happened roughly 30 miles east of Pittsburgh, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Two of the people who died, 53-year-old Daniel Kepner 48-year-old Dennis Kehler, were UPS drivers.
"Both were driving together in a tractor trailer vehicle out of our Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, operating center. Our drivers will be missed and our thoughts and prayers go out to their families," UPS said in a statement. "This is all of the information available at this time."
At around 3:30 a.m., a bus operated by New Jersey-based Z & D Tours was going around a curve when it hit an embankment and rolled over. Three trucks that were traveling along the turnpike behind the bus then collided with the bus, according to a police statement.
Eleven people were taken to Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, the trauma center closest to the crash. Two are in critical condition, five have been discharged and four remain at the hospital, according to a spokesperson for Allegheny Health Network. Another 28 people were taken to Frick Hospital while 18 patients were taken to UPMC Somerset. All 18 patients treated at UPMC have been released, according to CBS Pittsburgh.
All patients taken to hospitals are expected to survive.
"We don't even have identities of some of those people because of the severity of the crash and how entangled the vehicles are," State Trooper Stephen Limani said at a press conference Sunday. "We're still out there working hard to get IDs on some of these individuals who have passed away. And obviously, there's a lot going on when it comes to identifying them and contacting their loved ones."
One of the tractor trailers was a FedEx truck.
"First and foremost we extend our deepest condolences to the families of the individuals involved in this accident," a FedEx spokesperson said in a statement. "There is no higher priority for FedEx Ground than safety, and we are cooperating fully with investigating authorities at this time."
A roughly 90-mile stretch of the turnpike was closed following the crash. The eastbound lanes reopened around 4 p.m., but the westbound lanes remained closed.
NEW: Crews are making progress with the cleanup effort on the turnpike. Here’s a video of a UPS truck and a passenger vehicle being towed from the scene. pic.twitter.com/OWGegr16Vp
— Shelby Cassesse (@ShelbyCassesse) January 5, 2020
The National Transportation Safety Board is handling the investigation into the crash. The cause of the crash is not yet known.
The Red Cross is also on the scene to assist victims and their family members.