8 killed and 45 hurt after a bus carrying farm workers crashes in Florida, emergency officials say
Originally Published: 14 MAY 24 10:53 ET
Updated: 14 MAY 24 12:53 ET
By Rebekah Riess, CNN
(CNN) — Eight people are dead and 45 injured after a bus carrying farm workers crashed on a state highway in north-central Florida, emergency officials said Tuesday.
The 2010 International Bus carrying “approximately 53 farm workers” and a 2001 Ford Ranger sideswiped each other around 6:35 a.m., Florida Highway Patrol said. The bus then left the roadway, went through a fence and overturned.
Eight people died at the scene and 45 injured were taken to medical facilities, including eight in critical condition, James Lucas with Marion County Fire Rescue said.
Authorities anticipate additional deaths, Lt. Patrick Riordan of the Florida Highway Patrol said at a news conference, noting some of the injured – who include the driver of the Ford pickup truck – are in “very serious condition.”
“At this point, we are conducting a massive traffic homicide investigation. We have a full team, and then some, here on the scene,” Riordan said. “I can tell you that it’s going to be probably six months, at least, before we conclude, factually, what transpired here today.”
The passengers on board the bus were farm workers who were en route to a farm in the area, Riordan said. Asked about their immigration status, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said, “Everything that I have been told at this point – they all have what they need to be here.”
“We’re a very big agricultural county,” Woods said. “So this time of year, we always have migrant workers that are in our county, that are on buses just like this.”
The National Transportation Safety Board is monitoring the situation, it said.
Westbound lanes on Highway 40 will be closed “for most of the day,” the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said on its Facebook page, asking motorists to take alternate routes.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN’s Dakin Andone contributed to this report.
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