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Two dead and 5 critically injured after Farmingdale school bus with ‘faulty tire’ crashed and tumbled 50ft in New York
TWO adults have died and at least five students are in critical condition after a bus plummeted 50-feet in a horrific crash.
The charter bus was carrying 40 students to band camp when it crashed and tumbled down an embankment in Orange County, New York on Thursday.
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New York's governor said that a faulty tire may be to blame for the crash, which happened at 1pm on Interstate 84 in Wawayanda, located about 75 miles northwest of New York City.
The bus was carrying students from the Farmingdale Union Free School District, located on Long Island.
In an update just after 6pm local time, Governor Kathy Hochul said that two adults were killed in the crash.
Gina Pellettiere, 43, of Massapequa, and Beatrice Ferarri, 77, from Farmingdale, have been identified by New York State Police as the two victims.
Pellettiere was the band director at Farmingdale High School.
Hochul said at least five students were critically injured but did not provide specifics.
A preliminary investigation suggested that a faulty front tire "contributed to the accident," Hochul said.
In total, 40 students and four adults were on the bus at the time of the crash.
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Many students on the bus were high school freshmen, the governor said.
The students on board were en route to an annual band camp in Pennsylvania, the school district confirmed to News 12 Long Island.
Around 40 others were injured after the bus rolled down an embankment on the side of the road.
Three of those critically injured are being treated at Westchester Medical Center, which is a level-one trauma center, News12 Long Island reported.
Officials will continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
The school district issued a preliminary statement confirming one of their buses was involved in the accident.
"Police and emergency responders are on the scene, as well as district administration," the statement read in part.
"We will provide another update when more information becomes available. We ask for your patience as we gather more details."
Five other buses of students that were also headed to the camp in Pennsylvania are driving back to Farmingdale High School.
About 300 students in all were traveling to the band camp.
Footage from the scene of the crash showed the bus lying on its side with windows smashed and a ladder along the side.
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Daniel Minerva, vice president of operations and COO of Empress EMS, said the person who died in the crash was ejected from the bus, but did not offer further details.
Interstate 84 is expected to remain closed for several hours as the investigation continues.
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