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Officials reported that a bus transporting farm workers overturned on Tuesday morning in northern Florida, resulting in at least eight fatalities and eight others sustaining critical injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol reported that a 2010 International bus and a 2001 Ford Ranger were involved in a "sideswiped manner" collision at approximately 6:35 a.m. in Marion County, Florida. This caused the bus to veer off the highway, crash through a fence, and overturn.
The bus was carrying workers employed by a private company who were traveling to a watermelon farm in Dunnellon, Florida, as confirmed by local officials to the Ocala Star Banner.
According to James Lucas, the public information officer for Marion County Fire Rescue, 45 out of the 53 people on board the bus were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment of their injuries.
Although the Marion County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the bus did not belong to the county school system, Marion County Public Schools stated that one of its buses was used to transport the victims, as reported by local news affiliate WESH.
The sheriff’s office mentioned that the Florida Highway Patrol is conducting an investigation into the crash, and as a result, the surrounding roads have been closed.
