Nearly 20 JROTC campers were rushed to area hospitals on Wednesday after a charter coach lost its air conditioning along Scotchtown Avenue in Goshen, Orange County, according to county emergency officials. Dispatch logs show children began passing out and vomiting as the temperature inside the bus climbed, and roughly 17 to 20 campers were treated for heat exhaustion and dehydration. The buses had been traveling from an upstate camp to New Jersey when one coach pulled over and medics started checking passengers on the roadside.
County officials say a mechanical issue forced the stop
As reported by News12 Westchester, the Orange County Office of Emergency Management said the bus, identified by county officials as a DC Luxury Coach vehicle, experienced an air conditioning failure that sent interior temperatures soaring. County officials told News12 Westchester that affected campers were taken by ambulance to Garnet Health Medical Center, Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall and St. Anthony Community Hospital for precautionary evaluation. A second bus carrying additional campers continued on to New Jersey, while a Triple D Travel charter bus was seen departing the scene.
Local dispatch places the scene near Scotchtown Avenue
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office located the incident in the Hamptonburgh/Goshen area near Scotchtown Avenue and Hill Road and said passengers were taken off the bus and evaluated at the county Emergency Services Center, according to Daily Voice. That account lines up with county reporting that the coach came to a halt mid-route when its air conditioning failed and medics began triage on scene.
Dangerous heat advisory in effect across the Hudson Valley
The National Weather Service had heat advisories and an Extreme Heat Warning in effect for parts of the Hudson Valley on Wednesday, with heat-index values expected to reach a dangerous range across the region. In those conditions, a packed, poorly ventilated vehicle can quickly become hazardous for children and can speed up the onset of heat-related illness.
Symptoms and guidance for heat-related illness
Health authorities note that heat exhaustion and dehydration can trigger dizziness, nausea, vomiting and fainting, and that heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate medical care, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and New York State emergency resources. Recommended first steps include moving affected people to a cooler place, helping them rehydrate and seeking further medical attention if symptoms do not improve or begin to worsen.
What’s next
County officials have not yet released details on the underlying cause of the mechanical breakdown or indicated whether inspections or enforcement actions might follow. News12 Westchester reports the outlet has contacted the bus companies for comment and is awaiting responses. Families and camp operators are being urged to follow official county updates and check with local hospitals for information as authorities continue to monitor those treated and review what happened on the route to New Jersey.
