A tour bus headed from Niagara Falls to New York City overturned on Interstate 90 Friday afternoon, killing five passengers and injuring many more in what officials are calling a mass casualty event.
The crash happened around 12:22 p.m. on August 22 in the town of Pembroke, between exits 48A and 49. According to New York State Police, the bus veered off into the median and then sharply corrected, causing it to roll down an embankment.
The bus was carrying 54 people. Five passengers were pronounced dead at the scene:
- Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, of Madhu Bani, India
- Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, NJ
- Xie Hongzhuo, 22, of Beijing, China — a student at Columbia University
- Zhang Xiaolan, 55, of Jersey City, NJ
- Jian Mingli, 56, of Jersey City, NJ
Several others were ejected or trapped in the wreckage. Emergency crews transported injured passengers to hospitals including Erie County Medical Center, Strong Memorial, Millard Fillmore Suburban, and UMMC in Batavia. Mercy Flight helicopters were also called in.
The driver, Bin Shao, 55, of Flushing, NY, showed no signs of impairment. Investigators say the vehicle had no mechanical issues. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Authorities ask anyone who witnessed the crash or has dash cam footage to contact State Police in Batavia at (585) 344-6200.
The Red Cross has since closed its Family Assistance Center after connecting with all passenger families. Those looking to recover personal items can also call SP Batavia for help.
Multiple local, state, and federal agencies — including the NTSB, NYS Thruway Authority, and several fire and EMS units — responded to the scene.
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