A tractor-trailer crash in upstate New York Wednesday evening left seven people in a minivan dead, including four young children, authorities said Thursday.
The accident took place around 6 p.m. Wednesday in the town of Truxton, 25 miles south of Syracuse, on Route 13. According to Fox News the trailer had become unhinged from the rig going south. It crossed the center line, hitting the minivan head on. Capt. Mark Helms of the Cortland County Sheriff's Department said that the minivan, which was carrying eight people, was ripped apart. The vehicles stopped at a shoulder at the roadway.
Cortland County Coroner Whitney Meeker told the Associated Press that the seven victims were all local residents. The four children were all under 10-years-old and from two different families.
The eighth person in the car is being treated at Syracuse’s Upstate University Hospital. His status has not been reported.
While officials didn’t say the cause of the accident, the National Weather Service said that the area was hit by thunderstorms and precipitation, including hail.
“It was a bad accident,” Helms told the media.
The area was closed until 1:30 a.m. this morning while police investigated the incident.