Truxton, NY — Authorities say seven people, including children, were killed when a tractor-trailer slammed into a minivan on a rural two-lane highway in upstate New York.
According to the New York Daily News , the tragic crash happened around 6 pm on Wednesday on a two-lane highway near Truxton, New York just south of Syracuse.
Police reports say the minivan, carrying a driver and 7 passengers, was headed northbound on the road when a trailer traveling in the opposite direction became disconnected, crossed the center line and slammed head-first into van.
The force of the impact ripped the minivan apart, and both vehicles came to rest on the shoulder of the roadway, according to Capt. Mark Helms of the Cortland County Sheriff’s Department.
“It was a bad accident,” Helms said.
Although the driver and passenger in the tractor-trailer truck survived the accident, four children under the age of 10 and three adults in their early 20s were killed.
One lone passenger in the minivan survived the crash and was taken to Upstate University Hospital. That person’s condition is unknown.
Police officials have not yet released the identities of the victims because they are still in the process of notifying family members.
While officials have yet to release an official cause for the accident, several news reports suggest severe weather may have played a role in the crash.
USA Today notes around the time of the accident there were strong thunderstorms in the area that produced hail, high winds, and torrential downpours
ABC13 has more on Wednesday’s tragic crash in Upstate New York. in the video below: