2023 Licking County Charter Bus Crash
On November 14th, 2023, a semi-truck rear-ended a charter bus on its way to Columbus while driving on Interstate 70 West, which resulted in both the charter bus and the semi-truck, along with three more vehicles, crashing. The collision resulted in a massive fire in three of the five vehicles, which killed six people (three students on board the bus, two chaperones, and one teacher) and injured eighteen. Those injured were taken by ambulance to seven different hospitals in the region, while the remaining 34 students were taken to the nearby Etina United Methodist Church to be reunited with their parents.[1]
Incident
On Tuesday, November 14th, 2023, a charter bus from Tuscarawas Valley High School carrying 54 people -- mostly members of the school band -- was driving on the Interstate 70 West, on its way to the Ohio School Board Association conference in Columbus. Following the charter bus was a passenger vehicle with three occupants, who were chaperones for the event.[2]
At 8:52 a.m., while driving on the I-70, 26 miles east of Columbus, or about half a mile away from the Etna Township Route 310 Interchange, a semi-truck rear-ended the charter bus. This collision caused a chain-reaction crash involving five vehicles: two passenger, two commercial, and the charter bus.[1] The passenger vehicle carrying chaperones, which had been following the bus, was struck in the collision, and all three chaperones are suspected to have died at the scene.[3] The collision with the charter bus sparked a fire in the front of the semi-truck, which quickly spread to the trailer and rear of the bus. Smoke began to pour out from the fire and into both vehicles, urging people to escape; however, the front of the bus had been badly damaged as well, having collided with the cars in front of it, making it difficult to get out. It was no easier to escape through the back, as according to one of the students on board, chairs had piled up and seemingly began crushing people.[4] Efforts to escort the students off to safety began by chaperones on the bus, as authorities wouldn't arrive until shortly after 9 a.m. [1][4]
At around 9 a.m., dozens of emergency personnel from Licking and nearby Franklin County responded to a level 3, mass casualty incident. Upon arrival, further efforts by firefighters were made to free the remaining passengers.[1] The efforts in freeing passengers were made increasingly difficult by the growing fire and an explosion which had occurred in the rear of the bus.[5] Reportedly, 18-20 people[6] had been taken to seven different regional hospitals, with one student in critical condition and several more with minor injuries. By this time, three students had already died and were pronounced dead at the scene, the youngest of them being 15.[3] The remaining students were taken to the nearby Etina United Methodist Church to be reunited with their parents.[7]
Aftermath
At 7 p.m. that same day, thousands gathered in the Tuscarawas Valley High School football stadium for a vigil. Prayers were held and six candles were lit in honor of the six victims of the crash. Pastors and counselors were in attendance to help grieving students and parents, following the vigil.[8]
Governor Mike DeWine held a moment of silence for the victims during a press conference, later that evening.[9] DeWine would also order all flags in Tuscarawas and Stark County, as well as at the Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes Tower to be flown at half-mast from sunrise November 15, 2023 until sunset on November 18, 2023.[10]
See Also
- List of Traffic Collisions
- Tuscarawas Valley High School
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "6 killed in fiery, multi-vehicle crash on I-70W identified by Ohio Highway Patrol". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ↑ "UPDATES | 6 die in Ohio bus crash on I-70: Victims identified, including 3 students". wkyc.com. November 14, 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "6 killed and at least 18 injured in Tuscarawas Valley High School charter bus crash on I-70 near Columbus". News 5 Cleveland WEWS. 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Student speaks about deadly Ohio bus crash, retrieved 2023-11-15
- ↑ Semitruck involved in fiery collision on Ohio highway, retrieved 2023-11-15
- ↑ Sanchez, Ramon (2023-11-14). "Six people heading to a school band performance killed – including 3 students – in multivehicle crash on I-70 in Ohio". CNN. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ↑ "Ohio interstate crash involving busload of high school students leaves 6 dead, 18 injured". AP News. 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ↑ "'The darkest day': Tusky Valley community mourns 3 students, 3 adults killed in fiery crash on I-70". Ideastream Public Media. 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ↑ "'Day of mourning': Gov. Mike DeWine speaks on deadly Tusky Valley bus crash". Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ↑ "https://twitter.com/GovMikeDeWine/status/1724593400869982332". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2023-11-15. External link in
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