A tragic accident unfolded this afternoon along Interstate 90 in Pembroke, near Buffalo, New York, after a tour bus carrying more than 50 passengers overturned, resulting in what authorities are calling a “mass casualty” incident.

According to initial reports, at least five people have been killed, including one child, and more than 40 others have been injured, some critically. The bus is believed to have been traveling from Niagara Falls to New York City when the crash occurred.

Photographs from the scene show the green tour bus lying on its side across the roadway as dozens of firefighters, police officers, and medical personnel rushed to pull passengers from the wreckage. Emergency helicopters and ambulances were deployed to transport the injured to nearby hospitals, including trauma centers in Buffalo and Rochester.

New York’s Governor released a statement confirming that state and local authorities are treating the situation as a major emergency. Early investigations suggest that the driver may have lost control of the bus before it swerved into the median and overturned, though the exact cause remains under review.

Traffic along I-90 came to a complete standstill for hours as rescue operations continued, with authorities urging drivers to avoid the area. Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with passengers trapped inside the bus and others thrown onto the highway during the violent rollover.

This crash marks one of the deadliest bus accidents in New York State in recent years, sparking renewed questions about tour bus safety standards and the need for stricter regulations on long-distance passenger travel.