28 Injured, 1 Critically, After Tour Bus Flips on the Way to Niagara Falls

A tour bus heading for Niagara Falls rolled on its side in upstate New York on Thursday, Nov. 7, injuring 28 people, including one critically, authorities said.

Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter told reporters in a press conference the incident occurred on Interstate 490 near Union Street in Chili. 

Authorities said that the bus bound for Niagara Falls had left New York City around midnight and was making stops along the way.

Baxter told reporters that officials responded to a crash around 7 a.m. local time.

Upon arrival, they found the flipped-over bus with passengers trapped inside and others walking along the interstate in a state of confusion. 

“Getting people off the bus was a difficult task by everybody involved,” the sheriff said.

He said that responders were able to extricate and transport 28 people to local hospitals, adding that one of the people was critically injured. 

“We are now coordinating with families at the hospitals to make sure their loved ones know where they are and are accounted for and understand where they can meet up with them,” Baxter told reporters. 

“Our sympathies to the families, the people that are going through a lot of anxiety right now,” he later added. 

Authorities said that the bus driver has been cooperative, adding that at this time, drugs or alcohol are not believed to be factors in the crash.

An investigation is ongoing, according to authorities.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statement saying that she joins "the people of New York in praying for the well-being of all involved in this serious incident and am deeply grateful for the heroic efforts of our first responders.”

In an update later shared with PEOPLE, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said that the eastbound lanes of Interstate 490 were reopened while the westbound lanes between exits 3 and 4 remained closed. The department asked drivers to seek alternate routes of travel following the incident.