A westbound coach bus struck a vehicle near exit 16 at Greenpoint Avenue and Hunters Point Avenue in Queens, triggering a chain collision that involved four additional vehicles, New York police said in a statement.
“The initial collision then caused the bus to flip over the median on to oncoming eastbound traffic, where the bus then collided” with a fourth and fifth vehicle, police said.
The bus driver and one passenger were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. “The identities of the deceased are being withheld pending proper family notifications,” police said in a statement.
One of the drivers from the other vehicles was transported to a hospital in critical condition, and three other drivers were in stable condition, police said. “All other passengers on the coach bus were transported to local area hospitals in stable condition,” police said, adding that the investigation into the crash remained ongoing.
The National Transportation Safety Board has opened a federal investigation into the crash, which occurred at about 11:45 p.m. Monday.
About 79 fire and emergency service personnel responded to the scene, according to the New York Fire Department, as reported by the New York Times.
All lanes were blocked on the eastbound and westbound Long Island Expressway at 50th Street after the collision, police said. All lanes had reopened as of Tuesday afternoon, according to police.