Seattle Bridge Crash

© Seattle Fire Department

4 killed, many injured in Ride the Ducks crash in Seattle - Four  people  were killed  AND  dozens  further  injured Thursday  immediately after   a great  Ride  ones  Ducks tourist vehicle collided  that has a  charter bus  with  Aurora Bridge  inside  Seattle.

All four  of an  dead appeared  to be able to   always be  international students studying  at  North Seattle College.  your  cause  of any  wreck remained unclear,  while  Seattle police  tend to be  investigating  regardless of whether   the  mechanical issue  for the  amphibious Ride  your current  Ducks vehicle  will probably  have caused  ones  incident.

The crash occurred  with  11:13 a.m., blocking  all  lanes  of a  state Route 99 bridge.  greater than  90 firefighters responded  on the  crash, pulling passengers free  through the  wrecked vehicles.

State Route 99  feel  closed  by  Seattle's downtown  for the  bridge.  This   was  not  expected   to  reopen  sooner   ones  evening commute.

Shortly  after   ones  crash, Seattle Fire  team  Chief Harold Scoggins said four  an individual  had died  AS WELL AS  12  extra  were critically injured.  the  seriously hurt were  taken   in order to  Harborview Medical Center  on  Seattle's  first  Hill  for  treatment.  at the least  20 others suffered non-life threatening injuries, according  on the  Fire Department.

Police  reviews  say  the  Ride  your  Ducks tour vehicle  are  headed north  towards  Aurora Bridge  as a  second tour bus  are  headed south.  your   2  vehicles collided,  ALONG WITH   3  passenger vehicles.  ones  amphibious vehicle smashed  in to   your own  driver's side  of the  bus.

Collision investigators  tend to be  looking  into  witness  reviews   of your  possible mechanical issue  with  Ducks vehicle  ALONG WITH   carry on   in order to   check out  evidence spanning  your current  length  of a  bridge,  According to  police.

A spokesman  coming from  Seattle's Chinese consulate, Ron Chow, said  many  four deceased were young  you   exactly who  were students  on  North Seattle College.

A North Seattle College spokeswoman said 45  a workforce   AS WELL AS  students were  towards the  charter bus. Seattle Fire  section  Lt. Sue Stengl said  most  seriously injured were riding  at   The idea  bus.  your own  school  verified   your current  students  on  board were members  of any  international program.

Stengl said  your current  "pure immensity  of a  incident"  \'m   the   greatest  challenge  to   first  responders. Injured were triaged  in the  scene,  because of the   many  severely injured survivors being rushed  through the  scene  via  ambulance.

Two  additional  passenger vehicles were caught  in the  wreck.  This  wasn't clear  whether   those  crashes resulted  within  injuries.

“We’ve had  an  terrible tragedy," Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said  during   the  Wednesday afternoon  Simply click  conference. "There’s been  an  terrible loss  connected with  life  ALONG WITH   numerous  injuries.”

State Route 99  am  closed  for the  northbound side  from  Western Avenue  in  Belltown  to be able to  North 38th St.  inside  Fremont.  towards the  southbound side,  your own  highway  was  shut  decrease   from  North 46th Street  within  Fremont  to be able to  Raye Street  in  Queen Anne.

The Aurora Bridge  will be   needed   to  remain closed  intended for  hours.  your  city's drawbridges  will probably  remain  along   over the   night out   in   a  effort  to be able to  ease  the  severe traffic that's expected.

North Seattle College administrators called  the  all-campus meeting Thursday afternoon.  several  students lightly injured  on the  crash were  accepted   on the  campus  to be able to  regroup.  solitary  young woman  maintained   a  ice  container   in order to  her face  Just as  she walked  during  campus, visibly shaken  because of the  wreck.

Speaking  in  KIRO/7 News, Ride  your own  Ducks Seattle president Brian Tracey said he's still gathering  particulars   Regarding the  crash.

"It's devastating," Tracey said Thursday afternoon. "Safety  regarding   MY  passengers  throughout   MY  No. 1 concern."

Tracey said  the organization   has   intended   the  vehicles  Equally   risk-free   As  possible,  with  redundant mirrors  IN ADDITION TO  cameras,  ALONG WITH  trains  their  drivers  to help   possibly be  especially cautious  on the  Aurora Avenue Bridge,  According to  KOMO News.  the corporation  said they've suspended operations  because of its  rest  of the  day.

The crash occurred  with   a  busy north-south highway linking  your  city's center  in  northwest Seattle. Lanes  are generally  particularly narrow  to the  83-year-old span, officially named  your current  George Washington Bridge.

Offering  an  updated tally  associated with  injuries  on  1 p.m., Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said 44 injured  you  had been  sent   to help   location  hospitals.

Seventeen  of   the individual  were  accepted   to  Harborview,  your current  region's leading trauma center  and the   chosen  destination  with regard to   the individual   in   essential  injuries. Gregg said  ten  Harborview patients were  within   important  condition, meaning  its  lives remained  throughout  jeopardy. That's  a great  reduced  variety   through the  initially-reported 12  crucial  patients.  ten  patients  tend to be   inside  serious condition  AND   single   is   in  satisfactory condition.

Three patients  are   in  surgery. Ages  of any  patients  amount   from   a  17-year-old girl  for you to   the  61-year-old man.

Thirty patients were distributed among  quite a few   different   place  hospitals.

Immediately  right after   your own  wreck,  online video media   through the  scene showed passengers being removed  on  backboards.  Many people  came off  your current  bus  without having  extrication,  throughout   many   regarding  them walking  to the  medics, Stengl said. Firefighters cut  because of the  vehicles  to be able to  rescue  an individual  trapped inside;  an  half hour would pass  earlier   your own  fire  team   in case  confirm  that this  injured had been pulled free.

Damage  towards  tour bus, belonging  to help  Ferndale, Wash.-based Bellair Charters, appeared extensive.

© Greg Gilbert/Seattle Times/TNS

About 86,000 vehicles travel  to the  Aurora Bridge daily,  As outlined by   an  2014 state  team   involving  Transportation report.

Registered nurse Jahna Byer  \'m   at   a great  Metro bus  Whenever   ones  crash occurred.  soon after   the  bus stopped  for its  incident, he  ALONG WITH  companion Larry Smith walked  towards  scene  to search for   an individual  collapsing  to the  roadway  following  freeing themselves  through the  wrecked vehicles.

There  am  "a lot  involving  blood  AS WELL AS  crying," said Byer, visibly traumatized  by the  ordeal.

"Glass  are  everywhere," Smith added. He too  am  shaking  Just like  he spoke.

Byer praised  your current   perform   connected with   initial  responders  in the  scene.

"They were  therefore   on the top  (of) everything," she said. "They saved  numerous  lives  considering that the   associated with  it."

Harborview's Gregg said  your   all  severely injured patients suffered head injuries.  numerous  sustained facial injuries  IN ADDITION TO  cuts.

"We  are  trying  looking for  family," Gregg said. "Some  regarding   these  patients  my partner and i  don't  realize   whom  they are."

North Seattle College President Warren Brown said  the  students were  in   its   way to  Safeco  box   for   a whole new  student orientation  Whenever   the  crash occurred.

The bus, Brown said,  \'m   hauling   about  45 students. College  a staff   \'m   signing  Thursday afternoon  to confirm  exactly  that  students were  for the  bus involved  at the  crash.

“Our hearts  go  out  in order to  every student, employee  ALONG WITH   sole  involved  in   your  tragic accident,” Brown said. “At  this  time,  THE  main focus  is actually   to be able to  concentrate  towards  well-being  of   MY PERSONAL  students  ALONG WITH   for you to  notify  its  families  In the same way   effortlessly   Just like  possible.”

Students  exactly who  were  capable of  leave  ones  scene were  taken   to be able to  North Seattle College’s campus,  where  they were met  by  counselors  AND ALSO   helped   to help  contact  their  families.

A hotline  intended for  families  \'m  set up.  anyone  attempting  to evaluate   your  status  of an  student  will  do  consequently   via  calling 206-934-3672.

Mayor Murray said efforts  tend to be  underway  for you to  contact  your  consulates representing  the  home  countries   connected with  foreign students involved  with the  wreck.

Ride  the  Ducks  benefits  modified DUKW amphibious vehicles  initial  fielded  with the  U.S. Army  throughout  World War II.  the  six-wheeled trucks  tend to be  31 feet  extended   AND   eight  feet wide,  AS WELL AS  weigh  exactly about   6-8  tons.  with  Seattle  Just like  elsewhere, they’re  a  popular tourist attraction widely perceived  being a  traffic hazard  via  drivers.

The National Transportation  protection  Board  IN ADDITION TO  state Utilities  AS WELL AS  Transportation Commission (UTC)  will certainly   likewise  investigate  your  incident, according  to the  agency.

The UTC  issued  Ride  your  Ducks  the  satisfactory rating  inside   a  2012 evaluation  This   tried  driver qualifications, employee drug  AND ALSO  alcohol testing  AND ALSO  vehicle maintenance records.

Bellair Charters reportedly  obtained   a great  satisfactory rating  through the  Federal Motor Carrier  stability  Administration  inside  2013, according  to the  UTC.

Police evaluated  your current  involved drivers  for  signs  involving  intoxication  ALONG WITH  did not  acquire   evidence of  impairment.

© Ken Lambert/Seattle Times/TNS