The New York Times has featured the ordeal of Richard Robles, a 38-year-old Filipino who escaped with minor injuries from a tour bus crash near Buffalo, New York, that killed five people and injured dozens more.
Robles was one of 54 passengers on board the bus traveling from Niagara Falls to New York City when it overturned Friday, August 22 on Interstate 90 near Pembroke, about 30 miles east of Buffalo.
“My mind-set was to get off the bus,” he told the Times, describing a scene of blood, pinned passengers and cries for help as he climbed out of the wreck.
What happened
Authorities said the bus appeared to drift into the median and overturn around 12:30 p.m. The driver, identified as Bin Shao, 55, of Queens, was not believed to be impaired. Investigators think distraction caused the crash.
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The crash killed five passengers, including travelers from India, China and New Jersey. At least 40 others were treated in hospitals across western New York; most have since been released.
The operator, Staten Island-based M&Y Tour Inc., has a safety record slightly better than the industry average but had nine violations in the past two years, state records show.
Robles’ account
Robles, who lives in Qatar, was treated and released Friday night. He stayed at a nearby hotel with other shaken passengers.
“So much blood. So many wounds,” he said in the NYT article.
Another survivor told the Times she was trapped under the bus for an hour before emergency workers pulled her out. Officials say seatbelts were on the bus, but most passengers were likely not wearing them.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is reviewing the vehicle’s data recorder and will issue a preliminary report in about 30 days.
