The state of New York is in shock after a terrible accident that happened on Thursday near the town of Wawayanda, in Orange County. There, a bus fell into a ravine, causing the death of two people as well as more than 40 injuries, five of whom are in serious condition.
The vehicle was transporting a total of 40 teenagers, mostly high school freshmen, as well as four adults who worked at Farmingdale High School, to a band camp that was set to take place from Thursday to Sunday.
Fortunately, none of the minors are among the deceased, a Farmingdale School District spokeswoman explained to The New York Times. She also detailed that the bus was part of a convoy of six vehicles traveling to an annual marching band camp in Pennsylvania.
A 'faulty front tire' caused the bus accident
A spokesperson for the Slate Hill Fire Department explained that the bus went off the road on I-84, causing the accident. Governor Kathy Hochul added that the vehicle fell down a 50-foot ravine due, probably due to a "faulty front tire," as reported by the New York Post:
Today was a day of terror for 44 passengers. Imagine the fear, the screams in the aftermath when high school students, many of them freshmen, were surrounded by the chaos. But they endured.
Additionally, the governor explained in a subsequent press conference, the state is conducting an investigation to find out exactly what happened. The deceased, Hochul said, are Gina Pellettiere, 43, and Beatriz Ferrari, 77. Pelletiere worked as director of the marching band and wind ensemble, while the Farmingdale school district claimed that Ferrari was a teacher who had worked at the school for a total of 32 years.
The school, the Famingdale school district announced in a letter to the community, will remain open this Friday and will have counselors and psychologists available to students who need it to address the incident, per NBC.
