New Mexico Bus Crash Death Toll Rises To 8

THOREAU, NM — At least eight people were killed when a semi-truck blew a tire and crashed head-on with a Greyhound bus on I-40 in New Mexico Thursday, according to New Mexico state police. Officials confirmed an eighth fatality Friday afternoon.

State police said the truck was traveling east when it blew a tire and crossed the median into traffic that was going west. The Greyhound bus was carrying more than 48 passengers.

The majority of passengers were taken to hospitals with varying degrees of injuries and police are still gathering information about the extent of the injuries the passengers suffered. The semi-truck driver suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Passing motorists described a chaotic scene with passengers on the ground and people screaming.

Eric Huff was heading to the Grand Canyon with his girlfriend when they came across the crash. The semi's trailer was upside down and "shredded to pieces," and the front of the Greyhound bus was smashed, he said, with many of the seats pressed together. Part of the side of the bus was torn off, he said.

"It was an awe-inspiring, terrible scene," he said

Police said it was unknown where the bus was traveling from and where it was going.

Families affected by the crash can call the McKinley Emergency Operations Center at 505-722-4246.

The National Transportation Safety Board and New Mexico state police are investigating the crash.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: This photo from video provided by KQRENews13 shows first responders working the scene of a deadly collision between a Greyhound passenger bus and a semi-truck on Interstate 40 near the town of Thoreau, N.M., near the Arizona border, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Multiple people were killed and others were seriously injured. Officers and rescue workers were on scene but did not provide details about how many people were killed or injured, or what caused the crash. (KQRENews13 via AP)