Thursday, January 26, 2006
LAKE BUTLER, Fla. (AP) -- Seven children who had been adopted by a single family were killed Wednesday in a fiery crash when their car was crushed between a truck and a stopped school bus in rural northern Florida.
The children, ranging in age from 15 years to 21 months, were alone in the car, headed toward their home about two miles north of the crash site. The truck hit them from behind, pushing their car into the bus and causing the car to burst into flames, police said.
"It's a very chaotic scene," said Lt. Mike Burroughs of the Florida Highway Patrol. "It's just a mangled, charred mess."
Everyone in the car was killed, including the 15-year-old girl who was driving illegally. All of the youngsters had been adopted by the same family and lived together, police said.
It was unclear why the children were unaccompanied.
Evidence from the scene showed that the truck, which was carrying bottled water, did not brake before hitting the car on the two-lane road, Burroughs said.
Nine students were on the bus, and three were thrown from the vehicle by the force of the crash. The extent of their injuries was also unclear.
State police said three were seriously hurt and six others suffered minor injuries.
Hospital officials said they received five children, two of whom were in fair condition late Wednesday and three who were in serious condition.
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