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At least 13 dead after tour bus collides with semi-truck in California

Mike Gallagher

Oct 23, 2016 - 13:57

Oct 23, 2016 - 15:12

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At least 13 dead after tour bus collides with semi-truck in California

The bus belonged to USA Holiday, a Los Angeles area-based tour company that ferries customers to area casinos

At least 13 people died when a bus carrying tourists crashed into the back of a truck in Califoia today.

Everyone on board the bus was killed, according to an NBC channel, and around 31 others were injured in the accident on Interstate 10, around 100 miles east of Los Angeles.

Firefighters had to use ladders to climb into the bus’ windows and remove bodies, local press reported.

Photographs from the scene showed the front of the tour bus wedged inside the back of the trailer, with emergency workers leaning ladders against the single decker tourbus, which had been on its way from Red Earth Casino in Salton City.

Workers cut away debris from the front of a bus involved in a mass casualty crash on the westbound Interstate 10 freeway near Palm Springs, Califoia October 23, 2016. REUTERS/Sam Mircovich

Workers cut away debris (Picture: Reuters)

This photo provided by KESQ News Channel 3/CBS Local 2 shows the scene of crash between a tour bus and a semi-truck on Interstate 10 in Desert Hot Springs, near Palm Springs, in Califoia's Mojave Desert Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016. Multiple deaths and injuries were reported. (KESQ NewsChannel 3/CBS Local 2 via AP)

Firefighters leaned ladders against the windows (Picture: AP)

Photos show the front of the passenger bus crumpled entirely into the semi-truck’s trailer, with the vehicles having to be separated by a tow truck, according to the Desert Sun newspaper.

The injured were being treated at local hospitals, while all westbound lanes of the interstate were closed near the crash, according to the reports.

Some are said to be in a critical condition.

The bus was headed to Los Angeles when the crash was reported at 5.17 am.

Califoia Highway Patrol said the driver was one of the owners of the tour bus company, Los Angeles-based USA Holiday.

The cause of the crash is not yet known.

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