Fiery Crash Kills 5 And Injures 25
Michael Babboni
Trucking Accidents
According to Sheriff’s Officials, there were 5 people have been killed and 25 were injured when a bus that was carrying farmworkers collided with a tractor trailer which caused both vehicles to burst into flames on U.S. 98 in the Panhandle.A Blue Bird bus from Georgia had been carrying around 34 adults and children when it had ran a flashing red light before crashing into the tractor trailer, then spun around and hit the semi once more. One of the bus members that had been killed was a small child. According to the Wakulla County Sheriff Charlie Creel, the driver of the semi-truck has been identified as 55 year old Gordon Sheets from Copiague, New York. Unfortunately, he did not make it.
Once deputies were able to respond to the chaotic scene, both the front and back area of the bus was already on fire.
Creel stated "Our deputies are heroes . . . our deputies got on the bus and started pulling people off, people that were not able to get off by themselves. They pulled out two deceased victims,".
He continued to say that deputies had done all they could to rescue the victims until the bus had been completely engulfed in flames and were forced to stop.
The sheriff announced in a phone interview "If these deputies had not done that, we would have had a lot more fatalities,".
Both of the vehicles had been resting against a power pole with live wires nearby, fire rescue officials had to wait for the power to be shut off before it had been safe to spray the vehicles with water. These wires have since been turned back on and some lines needed to be replaced. Both the vehicle has eventually burned out.
Along with the Wakulla County Sheriffs Dept. and Dispatchers, Tallahassee Fire Dept. and the American Red Cross, even the Leon County EMS and Franklin County EMS did not think twice to answer the call of help. They sent 4 ambulances with crews and the TFD sent multiple apparatus and crews as well. The Franklin County EMS had been on there way home from transporting a patient to TMH, but when they had seen the smoke from the wreck, they immediately came to help and transported two of the trauma alerts.
The local chapter of the American Red Cross had been at the scene as well and continuously gave out bottles of water and Gatorade to help keep everyone there hydrated.
The Tallahassee Democrat had reported the intersection had been strewn with bloody medical gear, clothing, pillows, and coolers packed with food.
Unfortunately, no one of the bus spoke English making it much more challenging to treat the victims until the authorities brought in interpreters.
The Florida Highway Patrol officials are still investigating the wreck and are in the process of notifying the victims’ family members.
The driver of the bus, 56 year old Elie Dupiche of Belle Glade, had to be hospitalized and is in critical condition.
According to the FHP, 21 year old Rafael Nieves of Sound Beach, New York, was a passenger that was uninjured due to being in the sleeper of the semi during the time of the accident.
Aside from the 5 who sadly lost their lives, 7 are critically injured and there have been at least 19 victims that needed to be transported to local medical facilities.