By The Diary
29 Aug 2024, 02:52 AM EDT
Authorities said a serious accident occurred on a highway in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, killing four people and injuring 10 others after the truck they were traveling in overturned. According to local media, several of the victims were thrown from the vehicle after the impact.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported during a press conference that according to initial investigations, they were traveling on Highway 287 in the city of Alvord, northwest of Dallas, when the driver lost control of the truck, which then overturned several times.
The passengers were ejected.
“Emergency crews are working the scene of a major accident in Wise County, which they are calling a mass casualty incident,” Texas DPS Lt. Tony de la Cerda said at the news conference.
As the vehicle overturned, several of the passengers were ejected because they were apparently not wearing seat belts. Emergency services declared three people dead at the scene of the accident, including the driver.
“Wearing a seat belt will save your life. We emphasize that you must use it regardless of whether you are in the driver’s seat, the passenger seat, or the back seat,” added Lieutenant de la Cerda.
One person walked away from the accident
The Texas Department of Public Safety says only one person was wearing a seat belt and was the only one who walked away from the crash.
“Of those 14 occupants, only one person was wearing a seat belt. That person was able to walk away and was transported to a nearby hospital to be evaluated for possible injuries,” DPS added.
They added that eleven people were taken to different hospitals, three passengers with serious injuries and are in critical condition, another eight were taken by ambulance with minor injuries.
They were traveling from Florida
The identities of the passengers were not released by authorities, as they will be made public when their families are notified. Lt. Tony said there were no children in the van.
He also said that the passengers were traveling from Florida, and did not make it clear whether Texas was their intended destination or if they were going somewhere else.
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