More than 50 people have been transferred to hospitals in upstate New York after a bus loaded with hikers left the Thruway Freeway and capsized in the mid-northern part of the state, local authorities said.
Although there are no immediate reports on the status of the victims, it is known that
some patients were taken to specialized centers for high-level trauma,
as reported by WNBC, an affiliate of our sister network
NBC News.
The accident occurred around 12:30 p.m. Eastern time on the west side of the highway near Weedsport, a town about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Syracuse.
About 57 people were on board
, state police reported.
The bus was traveling from Fishkill in the Hudson Valley to Niagara Falls, and the passengers included children, Auburn Community Hospital spokesman Matthew Chadderdon said.
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The Auburn Medical Center received about 27 patients, including the bus driver, and was assessing their health.
Three of them were transferred to Upstate University Hospital,
the main trauma center in the area
.
Upstate, in Syracuse, received 25 patients in total, spokesman Darryl Geddes said.
It was unable to immediately provide information on its conditions.
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The westbound lanes were closed for a time after the accident, but were reopened in the late afternoon.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the accident
.
They also did not immediately disclose the company or agency that owns the bus.
With information from The Associated Press
.