Approximately two hours north-northwest of New York City, a bus carrying members of a high school band from Long Island crashed in Orange County on Thursday, killing two people.
The students were to be at the band camp from Thursday through Sunday.
The students and chaperones from Farmingdale High School were on one of six buses. Band camp in Greeley, Pennsylvania, was an annual tradition that hundreds of youngsters looked forward to. One of the six buses drove through a wire barrier, barrelled down a slope of about 50 feet, and flipped over.
The accident occurred at approximately 1:12 p.m. on Interstate 84 with only 40 minutes left till they arrived. Preliminary findings suggest that a defective front tire contributed to the crash.
According to Hochul, two adults were killed, and five to six students were seriously hurt. Numerous others were sent to local hospitals for further examination.
Hochul urged everyone to pray as they move forward from this terrible ordeal.
Regency Transportation, based in Nesconset, New York, has a current semi-annual inspection from the New York State Department of Transportation. According to a New York State Department of Transportation statement, “the driver is fully licensed.”
On Friday morning, a National Transportation Safety Board crew will arrive to inquire into the incident.
According to New York State Police Lt. Colonel Richard Mazzone, “there were 44 passengers on the bus, 40 youngsters and four adults.” He named Massapequa native Gina Pellettiere, 43, and Farmingdale native Beatrice Ferarri, 77, the two adults who perished. Pellettiere was the instructor in charge of the school’s marching band.
According to Mazzone, six hospitals received victims.
The New York State Police reported that westbound Interstate 84 was shut down at Exit 15.
Equipment was being brought in to retrieve the bus from the gully. Collins said the first responders were in “recovery mode” after the incident. He estimated that there were twenty or more emergency vehicles present.
