A bus carrying farm labourers crashed and overturned in north central Florida, leaving eight people dead and eight more badly injured. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), a 2010 International Bus carrying migrant labourers and a 2001 Ford Ranger truck were engaged in an accident that happened at roughly 6:35 a.m. on State Road 40, roughly 45 miles south of Gainesville.
The bus went off the road, crashed through a fence, and overturned as a result of the two cars sideswiping each other, according to the authorities. According to Marion County Fire Rescue (MCFR), there were 53 patients involved in the incident in total. Of those, 37 were hospitalised for non-life-threatening injuries and 8 were in serious condition.
The FHP is looking into what caused the bus and vehicle to collide in the first place. Authorities were informed by a witness that a brown Ford Ranger, which was moving in the eastbound lanes, abruptly shifted into the westbound lanes and struck the bus. The bus was forced onto the shoulder by the impact, and the Ocala StarBanner claimed that it impacted two trees and a fence before toppling over.
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According to WESH, Marion County Public Schools officials verified that although one of their school buses was not a part of the collision, it was utilised to take the injured to the hospital. It was thought that the tragedy occurred as the bus was transporting migrant labourers to a watermelon plantation.
Pictures taken at the site show the bus lying on its side and covered in collision debris. While they continue to investigate the event, authorities have closed up a portion of State Road 40.
Many issues remain unanswered as the community deals with this tragic tragedy because the Marion County Sheriff’s Office has not responded to requests for additional information promptly.
