Nine children and an adult were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on an Alabama highway as heavy storms lashed the southeastern US state, a county coroner confirmed Sunday. Saturday’s crash on an interstate highway near the city of Greenville involved at least 15 vehicles and may have been caused by aquaplaning under heavy rains, Butler County coroner Wayne Garlock told AFP.
A father and 9-month-old girl were killed one vehicle and the other eight victims, that included foster children, were in a Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch vehicle and a small SUV, said Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock. All victims died at the scene. A bus belonging to the Alabama Sheriff Youth Services caught fire in the crash. It was carrying 8 children from ages 4-17 and one adult, who was driving. The vehicles involved in the crash were thought to have hydroplaned, officials said. “This was probably the most horrific accident in Butler County history,” Sheriff Danny Bond told the al.com website. He said at least two of the vehicles involved were 18-wheel trucks, and that four or five other people had suffered nonfatal injuries. They found a total of 17 vehicles – including two commercial vehicles – were involved in the crash. Of the 17, seven of the vehicles were on fire.
