A tragic incident unfolded on a highway in the Inland Empire when a bus carrying a church group overturned, leaving 19 mostly young passengers injured. According to ABC7, the accident occurred on Highway 330 near Running Springs late Sunday night, which prompted an emergency response that shut down the thoroughfare for hours.
On board the ill-fated bus were approximately 36 individuals, many of whom were juveniles, as detailed in reports by NBC Los Angeles. The bus was journeying from a church retreat in Big Bear back to Santa Ana. Witnesses at the scene recounted a harrowing scenario where the bus caught fire before the crash, with some passengers escaping through the vehicle's top hatch.
Efforts to ascertain the causes of the crash are ongoing, with law enforcement ruling out DUI suspicion early in the investigation. Further complicacies arose as initial injury reports conflicted between multiple departments. However, it was eventually confirmed that 19 individuals required hospitalization, with three sustaining severe injuries, as reported by CBS News Los Angeles.
Despite the chaotic aftermath of a crash and a brief fire, no fatal injuries have been disclosed, a poignant reminder of the unpredictability each of travel carries. Following the incident, Highway 330, a vital artery through the San Bernardino Mountains, was shut down but has since been reopened, as per KTLA.
