At least five people were killed and 34 others hospitalized after a passenger bus plowed into multiple vehicles near a highway work zone in the US state of Virginia early Friday, local police and US media reported.
The catastrophic crash occurred at approximately 2:35 AM on southbound Interstate 95 (I-95) in Stafford County. According to the Virginia State Police, traffic had slowed down as vehicles approached an upcoming construction zone. The bus failed to slow down in time, violently striking six vehicles.
All five fatalities were occupants of the vehicles struck by the bus. Among the 34 injured rushed to nearby hospitals, three remain in critical condition.
"We’ve got patients in multiple hospitals. This is one of the most tragic things I’ve ever seen," said Peyton Vogel, a Federal Transit Administration spokesperson present at the scene.
Mary Washington Healthcare confirmed it received 19 victims. Its trauma center in Fredericksburg treated seven patients discharging four, while three remain hospitalized, including two in critical condition. Another 12 victims were treated and discharged in good condition from its Stafford facility.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has deployed a specialized "go-team" to launch a comprehensive safety investigation. State police confirmed that charges are pending against the bus driver, who is also receiving hospital treatment.
Southbound lanes of the critical interstate highway reopened by noon on Friday following hours of heavy traffic gridlock. Federal authorities noted that the incident revives long-standing concerns over commercial motorcoach safety, where historical data identifies driver fatigue and inattention as leading factors in fatal highway accidents.
