Holy Shit- 20 die in upstate New York birthday party limousine crash

[malaise]

Last edited Sun Oct 7, 2018, 07:24 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/10/07/wedding-limo-crash-20-dead-upstate-new-york-tragedy/1558344002/
<snip>

Twenty people were killed when a limousine and another vehicle crashed in an upstate New York area popular with tourists during the fall foliage season, State Police said Sunday.

Eighteen of the victims were in the limousine and the other two were bystanders, the Associated Press reported, citing preliminary information from sources close to the investigation.

The wreck took place Saturday in Schoharie, a town of 3,300 people about 160 miles north of New York City. Immediately after the crash police had said only that there were "multiple fatalities."

On Sunday, police revealed the death total but said names of the victims would not be released until family members were notified.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending investigators to the site, next to the Apple Barrel Country Store and Cafe.

Liz Gallup works at the store and has lived in the area for almost 60 years. She said the crash, which she did not witness, occurred adjacent to the parking lot, and that limo apparently ended up in a deep ditch along the side of the road.

[john657]

1. Condolences to the family's of the victims.

[dalton99a]

2. .

[malaise]

4. My guess - they rented the SUV limo

Driver was coming down the hill at 60mph and lost control. No one was wearing a seatbelt. Two pedestrians were also killed.
This is horrific.

[snort]

6. There's another vehicle in the photo.

[malaise]

8. Yes another vehicle was involved

Too sad

[LisaL]

9. Yes, it was a two car crash.

"Two vehicles, including the limo carrying a wedding party, collided at an intersection in Schoharie ― about 35 miles west of Albany ― around 1:55 p.m. Saturday, according to New York State Police."

https://nypost.com/2018/10/07/multiple-fatalities-in-limo-crash-involving-wedding-party/

[malaise]

14. The SUV limo was speeding

This must be the worst Limo accident ever on what was supposed to be a happy occasion.

[malaise]

40. No one was in that vehicle

It was parked. Limo did not stop - was speeding

[democratisphere]

3. Wedding party.

How very sad for all of the victims of this disaster.

[malaise]

5. You know what's really sad

This did not have to happen. Speed kills.

[democratisphere]

10. You are so right!

No reason to ever be in such a hurry.

[lpbk2713]

7. Inexperienced driver?

You don't drive a stretch limo like a shopping cart.

[malaise]

11. Or even like a Corolla

Too sad. I'm also betting that belts would have helped.

[malaise]

45. The Limo is 17 years old

Wow!
Most deadly transport accident since 2009

[Snake Plissken]

12. There is a 100% probability that all the occupants of the vehicle were White

Since Trump has not yet spit out a few dozens tweets calling this a terrorist attack.

[malaise]

17. That was my first thought

Oddly I heard this on local news. This is a major vehicle accident.

[VOX]

13. 18 dead in the limo? Probably not wearing seat belts.

If that thing rolled, it lights-out if seat belts were unbuckled.

A beautiful spot, a joyous time, and in a wink, a horrible tragedy. Incredibly sad.

[malaise]

15. No stinking regulations needed including seat belts

This did not have to happen..

[VOX]

21. Absolutely not. A terrible, horrific waste of life and love.

Every limo company should instruct their drivers to be strict and even authoritarian about passengers buckling up. If no one buckles up, no ride. If anyone unbuckles, stop the vehicle until they buckle.

20 people dead, each with families and friends who will be impacted. Like mass shootings, the pain of loss spreads far and wide.

[malaise]

23. Do you think an official limo driver would have been speeding down the hill?

We'll get the details but I'm thinking this was a rental.

[LisaL]

27. Yes, limo was rented. Also probably not a wedding party.

People who rented it were already married.

“They rented the limo with some families and I don’t know exactly what they were doing.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/07/nyregion/wedding-limo-crash-schoharie-ny.html

[malaise]

29. Makes sense now

Thanks

[LisaL]

35. I am not sure "rented limo" means just the limo was rented, or limo with a driver was rented.

[VOX]

28. Appears to be a rental. Which immediately brings alcohol into the picture.

On edit: I should sag, the possibility of alcohol, etc.

[malaise]

31. Or Meth?

Damn!

[VOX]

33. Any mind-altering substance.

The stuff one should only do in the safety and privacy of their own place. If one HAS to do it.

[dem4decades]

57. I was thinking faulty brakes first.

Why would a hired driver be drinking?

[Blue_true]

16. Is it common to have that many people in a limo?

Doubt that I will ever get into one.

[malaise]

18. Looks more like a huge station wagon.

Wear your seatbelt always

[MineralMan]

19. How awful for everyone involved.

[malaise]

41. Updates on CNN now n/t

[DesertRat]

20. OMG, so tragic

My heart breaks for the families and friends of everyone involved.

[MineralMan]

22. I drove a limo for a short time.

I drove very carefully, and in a way designed not to make anyone even notice they were in a vehicle. Generally, the passengers are not paying any attention at all to what's going on, so nobody cares if you take your time. They're all busy enjoying the occasion. So, it's steady as you go and slow around the corners and smooth, even braking that doesn't get anyone's attention.

That's how you drive a limo. It sounds like the driver of that one was hurrying the trip. That's never a good idea.

[malaise]

25. Something seems wrong here

We'll soon get details but which official limo driver would be speeding down a hill in that vehicle with passengers not wearing seat belts?

[MineralMan]

36. Clearly something wasn't right.

Really, though, nobody wears seat belts in limos. That's another reason drivers need to maintain the smoothest possible driving style.

Not every limo driver, though, should be driving limos, I'm sure. Tragedy can happen anytime. It can also be avoided.

[hlthe2b]

24. Wow.. that's quite the tragedy...

very sad for all involved....

[malaise]

26. Shocking

20 dead just so?

[lpbk2713]

30. Especially tragic if two families were wiped out.

Out of twenty passengers that could have included both sets of parents and siblings.

All gone.

[malaise]

34. Why did el8 delete her/his post

Given that this is an accident prone intersection, that was a useful post.

[sl8]

38. That article was about a different Route 30/30A intersection.

The article was about improvements for the NY Routes 30/30A intersection in Mayfield, NY.

The accident occurred at the NY 30/30A intersection in Schoharie, NY.

Mayfield is about 40 miles north of Schoharie.

Sorry about that.

Oh, and just who do you think you're calling "el8"?

[malaise]

39. Lol for sl8

[malaise]

37. A post above says it's not clear it was a wedding party but I still think

families could have been wiped out here.

[BeckyDem]

42. How fragile life is. Gone in a moment.

From another report: Mr. Tavenner said the site of the accident was a notoriously dangerous spot, a “nasty intersection” that transportation officials had tried to fix in the past without success. “I honestly think it was a more dangerous intersection than it was before,” he said.


WATCH LIVE: Press conference on upstate New York limousine crash

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/10/07/press-conference-upstate-new-york-limousine-crash/1558806002/

[malaise]

43. Everyone in the limo is dead

Holy Shit indeed

[BeckyDem]

44. Horrifying.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

47. Jesus

[smirkymonkey]

46. What a horrifying accident!

And during a wedding, which should be such a happy occasion. It would be tragic under any circumstances, but this is especially heartbreaking.

[malaise]

48. The first vehicle the limo company sent broke down and they sent another one

One of the deceased sent a text to a friend saying that the second vehicle was worse than the first one and she hopes they make it.
Four sisters and their spouses are among the dead. They were heading to a brewery in Cooper's town to celebrate a birthday. Most were married recently but it was not a wedding party.

[lpbk2713]

49. Imagine being a surviving family member.

Planning that many funerals.

I couldn't make it.

[malaise]

50. Same here

Imagine the grief of the parents of the four sisters?

What is striking is that this is the highest number of persons killed in any accident, land, sea or air in the US since 2009.

[Marrah_Goodman]

60. I can't imagine burying 4 daughters at the same time

Unbelievable horror for everyone involved.

[smirkymonkey]

61. Just so tragic.

I am so sorry for their families.

[no_hypocrisy]

51. No seatbelts

[malaise]

53. Apparently there are no seat belts in limos other than the front seat

andnone of those were used.

[samnsara]

52. very little info about it..a wedding party?? this is soooo sad :(

[Demovictory9]

54. 4 sisters and their husbands died. Much sadness for one family

Pics appearing on news sites

[Renew Deal]

55. I read that they were going to a birthday party

[Girard442]

56. If you view the intersection on Google Maps, it doesn't look problematic.

Seems to be excellent visibility and signage approaching the T-junction. I don't think road conditions are the issue. Total brake failure?

[miyazaki]

62. long gradient there on that road.

They did not or could not stop for whatever reason. Imagine if that apple store was directly in line with
that road coming down the hill.

[Girard442]

63. News did mention three tractor-trailer incidents at that intersection.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ntsb-probes-fatal-crash-involving-limo-multiple-deaths-143025082.html

Still, a limo, even a really stretched one, shouldn't have the braking problems of an 18-wheeler unless there was a total failure.

[spiderpig]

58. I can't begin to wrap my brain around this

What the hell went wrong?

[malaise]

59. May well have been a defective vehicle

The first one broke down according to a relative.
And of course no one was wearing seat belts.

[Dennis Donovan]

64. MSNBC just announced that the driver did not have the correct license

... and the limo wasn't inspected.

[dem4decades]

65. I thought it was inspected. and it failed.

Also it was sent after the bus they rented broke down. And one of the women texted someone that the limo was in terrible shape reportedly.

[Dennis Donovan]

66. Inspected-failedno inspection in NYS...