The New York Highway is closed following a tour bus accident

A tour bus accident in upstate New York led to a large-scale rescue operation and the closure of a major highway on Thursday.

On Thursday morning, officials in New York reported that police responded to a crash on Interstate 490 in Rochester, New York, caused after a bus overturned.

The bus accident

According to the New York State Police Department, law enforcement officers assisted the Monroe County Sheriff's Office in the crash investigation.

Police said the accident occurred “on Interstate 490 westbound in the town of Chili involving an overturned motorcoach.”

“Westbound Interstate 490 is closed at Union Street,” New York State Police said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) also said on X that it had responded to the crash.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a statement about the accident, saying: “To allow first responders to do their jobs, I-490 is closed in both directions between Exits 4 and 3 and drivers will be asked to find alternative routes.”

“I join the people of New York in praying for the well-being of everyone involved in this serious incident and am deeply grateful for the heroic efforts of our first responders,” the Democratic governor added.

According to CBS-affiliated station WIVB-TV in Buffalo, New York, several people were hospitalized after the crash, including one person who is believed to be in critical condition.

Officials with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office told WIVB-TV that officers who arrived at the scene discovered several people trapped in the overturned bus and that at least 16 ambulances responded to the incident.

“It was surreal, it was things you train for but something you don't expect to see in real life,” Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter said, the local news outlet reported.

The sheriff's office is treating the accident as a criminal investigation, but notes that the driver of the bus is actively cooperating with police, WIVB-TV reported.

Aftermath of the crash

Several posts on social media documented the large police presence following the accident and the closure of the New York freeway.

“LARGE POLICE PRESENCE ON 490: A tour bus crash has shut down the 490 near Union Street,” WIVB-TV’s Oran Spitzer wrote in a post. “Motorists are asked to avoid the 490 East and Westbound between Churchville and Chili Center Coldwater Road.”

Christian Garzone, a reporter from 13WHAM, shared another video and wrote, “As close as you can get to the bus crash on the 490.”

Response from the bus company

In a statement obtained by WIVB-TV, a spokesperson for the FlixBus company said: “We are aware of the accident near Churchville, NY. Our team is actively working with the bus operator to understand the details and provide necessary assistance to passengers.”

“Please note that FlixBus is not a bus company; all timetables are operated by external bus companies. We will continue to seek updates from the bus company and authorities as the investigation progresses. We have no further information to share at this time,” the statement added.

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press.