Media reports citing Chief Calvin White of Hamlet Fire and Rescue said 40-50 people were injured and?multiple people? were killed. “There were injured people everywhere”. Their injuries range from critical to minor.
Advertisement
Photo used with permission from Richmond County Daily Journal.
When the blow-out occurred, it caused the bus to go out of control and strike a median guardrail, then a concrete bridge column, CNN reported. Jeff Gordon said the crash occurred about 2:35 p.m. The side of the bus had been almost ripped off and some of the injured were lying on the ground.
A tire failure caused a charter bus crash that killed four people and injured dozens from a SC football squad and closed U.S. Route 74/Interstate 74 in Richmond County on Saturday, according to officials and media reports. Devonte Gibson, 21, of Rock Hill, and Teto Hamilton, 19, of Pahokee, Fla. were also killed.
It was confirmed by the North Carolina Highway Patrol that 42 people were injured and all have been taken to area hospitals.
Ten patients were sent to FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital, two of those patients were moved to UNC Health Care in Chapel Hill.
NBC Charlotte’s Mike Hanson was told that family members of the players were following the bus and witnessed the crash.
According to Highway Patrol, the charter bus is registered to Sandy River Baptist Church in Chester, South Carolina.
Traffic was diverted around the scene using the on and off ramps for N.C. 177. The highway was closed because of the wreck.
Advertisement
Reach William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_Toler.
