CAYUGA COUNTY, N.Y. — New York State Police are investigating a serious rollover crash involving a tour bus bound for Niagara Falls Saturday.
The bus was heading westbound on the I-90 when it rolled over near Exit 40, Weedsport in the Town of Brutus around 12:30 p.m. That's about halfway between Rochester and Syracuse.
State Police had to close the right lane of the thruway just west of the exit which caused an almost eight-mile backup. Traffic was still moving slow around 7:30 p.m. but as of 9:30 p.m., the scene has been cleared.
According to the Associated Press, the bus was bound for Niagara Falls, and more than 50 people had to be transported to local hospitals.
New York State Police said 57 people were aboard the bus when it crashed.
An Auburn Community Hospital spokesman told the AP, the hospital was treating 27 people but some of them had to be transferred to Upstate University Hospital for high-level trauma care.
Upstate said it received 25 patients total. Chadderdon added that the bus was headed from the Fishkill area in the Hudson Valley to Niagara Falls.
The driver of a tour bus from JTR Transportation based out of Poughkeepsie, NY, has been identified as Fermin P. Vasquez, 66, of Wingdale, NY. Vasquez is one of approximately 26 people who were transported to Upstate Hospital for treatment of various injuries.
The bus was reported to have left from the Poughkeepsie area earlier Saturday.
The investigation is still ongoing and State Police are asking for anyone who may have witnessed the crash, to contact Investigator Brad Holcomb, SP Waterloo, at 315-539-3530 with any information.