A westbound coach bus collided with another vehicle on the Long Island Expressway in Queens late Monday night, triggering a chain reaction that left two people dead and 20 injured across a span of six vehicles.
The crash occurred just before midnight near exit 16, in the area of Greenpoint Avenue and Hunters Point Avenue. A 35-year-old bus driver struck an initial vehicle, which then hit a third car. The force of the collision sent the coach bus across the roadway median and into oncoming eastbound traffic, where it struck two additional vehicles.
The bus driver and one passenger were pronounced dead at the scene. Another driver from one of the vehicles involved was transported to a hospital in critical condition, while three additional drivers sustained injuries that were deemed stable. All other passengers on the coach bus were taken to local hospitals in stable condition, police said.
The collision prompted a federal investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the deceased pending family notification.
The crash shut down all lanes of traffic in both directions on the Long Island Expressway at 50th Street. Approximately 79 fire and emergency personnel responded to the scene. Traffic remained blocked through the night but all lanes reopened by Tuesday afternoon.
Author James Rodriguez: "A tragic reminder that even straightforward vehicle collisions can spiral into mass-casualty events in seconds once a heavy vehicle loses control on a divided highway."
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