The wreck was triggered when a dump truck cut into the lane in front of the first bus, forcing its driver to slow down, according to police.
PORT ARTHUR, Texas — A wreck involving three charter buses in Port Arthur sent 68 people to the hospital Wednesday afternoon, though no life-threatening injuries were reported.
There were no critical injuries and all passengers were checked out and released from the hospital by early Thursday morning.
The wreck happened around 4 p.m. in the 3000 block of Texas Highway 73, according to Port Arthur Police Chief Tim Duriso. The three buses, owned by Hotard Coaches, were transporting plant workers heading home from work when the crash happened in a construction zone.
The wreck was triggered when a dump truck cut into the lane in front of the first bus, forcing its driver to slow down, according to police. The second bus also reduced speed, but the third bus couldn’t stop in time, causing a chain reaction collision.
No citations have been issued in connection with the incident so far, Duriso said. Investigators have requested video footage from the bus company to better understand the sequence of events.
Of those transported to hospitals, 36 people were taken to Baptist Hospital, in Beaumont, with none in critical condition or requiring admission, according to hospital spokesperson Stephanie Harris. Four individuals were transported to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont and another 28 were taken to The Medical Center of Southeast Texas, in Port Arthur, also with no critical injuries reported.
Hotard Coaches issued a statement saying, “The safety of our passengers, employees, and the public is our highest priority. We are fully cooperating with local authorities as they investigate this matter and are conducting our own thorough internal review of the incident.”
The statement continued, “Our immediate focus is on the wellbeing of those involved. We have already deployed our response team to provide support to passengers and drivers affected by this incident.”
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Hotard Coaches have a “Satisfactory” safety rating. They have had 114 total inspections and no violations were found in 110 of those.
THE FMCSA also reports that there have been 12 total crashes.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is not investigating the crash, 12News has confirmed.
Port Arthur Police and Fire departments, along with City Ambulance, responded to the scene.
Police are urging drivers to obey traffic laws and remain alert while driving.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities expected to provide updates as more information becomes available.
This is a developing story. 12News will update with more information as it becomes available.