3 killed in fiery multi-vehicle crash on Ohio highway
Three people were killed in a multi-vehicle crash in Darke County, Ohio, on Friday morning, authorities said.
In a post on Facebook, the Darke County Sheriff's Office said the three-vehicle crash happened on State Route 49 around 7:30 a.m. At the scene, first responders found two of the three vehicles fully engulfed in flames.
Authorities said the driver of a cargo van pulling a trailer was headed north on State Route 49 when they crossed the centerline and struck the driver of a medical transport bus headed south. The sheriff's office said that after hitting the bus, the cargo van continued down the roadway and hit a sedan.
Two men in the cargo van were found dead, authorities said. Their identities were not released on Friday.
The driver of the bus was flown to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was identified as Chris Bemis, of St. Marys. The 63-year-old worked for Spirit EMS, according to a Facebook post from the company.
"Chris was a valued member of the Spirit EMS family, and his loss is deeply felt by his coworkers, leadership, and the communities we serve," the post said, in part. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all those impacted by this heartbreaking tragedy."
A juvenile and a 62-year-old woman were passengers on the bus when the crash happened. They were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, the Facebook post said. The driver of the sedan was treated at the scene by EMS and released.
Law enforcement is investigating the crash, which closed the roadway for about five hours on Friday.