Twenty-three people were taken to the hospital today after a tour bus flipped over on Route 80 in Wayne, NJ, authorities said.
The New York-bound bus was carrying about 57 people when it overturned near the Route 46/Route 23 interchange at about 7:40 a.m.
The bus ended up on its side at the bottom of an embankment next to the highway.
“We don’t know why it overturned,” said NJ State Police Sgt. Adam Grossman.
Three women were trapped under seats inside the bus and were taken to area hospitals with critical but non-life-threatening injuries, state police said. None of the 23 injuries reported are life-threatening.
Most of the victims were being treated for cuts, bruises and soreness. The driver told authorities he had a gash in his arm.
The tour bus carried a group of Seventh-Day Adventists headed for a New York church event when it overturned, slid down an embankment and landed on its side, authorities said.
Those aboard included five children, none of whom were injured, authorities said.
Witnesses said injured passengers waited along the side of the exit ramp as emergency crews treated them, and several people with neck braces were soon loaded into ambulances.
Unhurt passengers were put on another bus and continued their journey, authorities said.
The coach bus belonged to Toronto-based AVM Max 2000 Charter Services Inc., authorities said.
The accident backed up traffic in the area for hours while law enforcement officials and emergency services vehicles attended to the scene.