KRQE(THOREAU, N.M.) — The death toll has climbed to eight after a Greyhound bus and tractor trailer collided in a devastating crash in New Mexico, hospital officials said Friday.
On Thursday, the tractor trailer veered into oncoming traffic when one of its tires blew, hitting the bus head-on, according to New Mexico State Police.
Forty-nine passengers were on board the bus and most were taken to local hospitals with injuries.
One person died after arriving at a hospital, bringing the death toll to eight.
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Officials have not released the identities of any victims.
Dr. Kurt Nolte, New Mexico’s chief medical investigator, would not say if any of those killed were children.
Two babies were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at the University of New Mexico Hospital, officials said Friday.
At least three other hospitals also accepted patients.
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Christopher Jones told ABC News he got to the accident site on Interstate 40 just after the crash.
“There was multiple fatalities that I could see,” Jones said, adding that he was “just trying to help other people that were critical and help them calm down.”
Jones, who said he used to be a volunteer firefighter and EMT, described the scene as “one of the hardest” he’s ever experienced: “It was a pretty rough site.”
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