Farmingdale High School bus crash on I-84 injures students headed to band camp: Live updates

A charter bus carrying members of a high school marching band crashed off Interstate 84 northwest of New York City, killing one person and injuring multiple other people, police said.

A spokesman for the New York State Police confirmed to USA TODAY at least one person had died in the crash but declined to provide additional details pending further investigation. The crash occurred around 1 p.m. near the town of Wawayanda, about 45 miles northwest of New York City, and video from the scene showed the bus in a small gully on its side, windows smashed out.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those impacted by this accident," Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said.

Orange County marching band bus accident kills one

Police said in a press release that there are "multiple serious injuries" and asked drivers to avoid the area due to a lengthy closure. The bus was one of six in a caravan carrying students from Farmingdale High School on Long Island to a band camp in Greeley, in northeastern Pennsylvania, according to a message from the school district.

"We are grateful for the first responders whose speedy action saved lives and we will continue to support them however necessary," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. "Our hearts are with all who are impacted by this horrific situation."

District officials said the band students would not continue on to camp, but would instead get off at a reunification center for a break before returning home. The students are known as "Famingdale Dalers."

“Students will have the opportunity to stretch and meet with grief counselors,” according to a message from the district. “Once cleared, they will be returning to Farmingdale High School.”

Middletown, New York site of band camp crash family reunification center

Video from news helicopters showed the bus had crashed off the interstate and landed on its side in trees and shrubs. The marching band has about 300 members. Authorities set up a family reunification center at SUNY Orange County Community College, in Middletown.

Neuhaus told CBS-4 about 45 people were on the bus, mostly children. He said at at least 5 people were badly hurt. The crash happened around 1:20 p.m. Authorities scheduled a 6 p.m. briefing to provide updates.

According to the marching band's schedule, the students were to have spent a long weekend at Pine Forest Camp in Greeley, Penn., accompanied by parents and other chaperones riding the buses with them.

An operator at Garnet Health Medical Center, the nearest hospital, said all media inquiries were being directed to the state police.

According to the bus operator, Regency Buses of Long Island, each bus seats 56 passengers. Video from the scene appeared to show at least two other buses stopped on the interstate close to the crash site.

Regency did not respond to a message from USA TODAY seeking comment.

Where is Farmingdale, New York?

Farmingdale is a one-square-mile village on New York's Long Island within the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County. The Farmingdale High School has about 1,700 students and in 2021 and 2022 was ranked as one of the nation's best high schools by U.S. News & World Report. Census data shows the village has a population of about 8,500 people.

How many bus crashes are there each year?

There are on average over 100 fatalities every year in the United States caused by accidents involving school buses, or other types of buses transporting school children, according to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration.

Between 2007 and 2016, there were 1,282 killed, about 70% of which were in other vehicles involved in accidents. Just 9% of the fatalities were occupants on a school transportation vehicle.

Contributing: Sarah Eames of the Press & Sun-Bulletin, part of the USA TODAY Network, and the Associated Press