GARFIELD COUNTY, Utah – At least four people were killed and up to 15 others were critically injured Friday after a tour bus crashed near Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, authorities said.
At least four fatalities are confirmed in the #SR12BusCrash. Multiple critical injuries. UHP PIO is enroute from Salt Lake and will be on scene as soon as possible.
— Utah Highway Patrol (@UTHighwayPatrol) September 20, 2019
The bus slammed into a guardrail and rolled onto its side, KUTV reported. The crash happened near a highway rest stop about 7 miles from the park entrance. Photos from the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office show the top of a white bus smashed in and one side peeling away as it rests mostly off the side of a road near a sign for restrooms.
There were 30 people aboard the bus, including the driver. Every person sustained injuries and at least seven are considered in critical condition, Garfield County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Denise Dastrup told Fox News. The Utah Highway Patrol tweeted that between 12 and 15 people had suffered “very critical injuries” and that the tourists on the bus were “Chinese-speaking.” Authorities did not immediately elaborate.
#SR12BusCrash Update. We are still confirming four fatalities and 12-15 others with very critical injuries. We are confirming the tourists are Chinese speaking tourists. I am working on getting photos posted.
— Utah Highway Patrol (@UTHighwayPatrol) September 20, 2019
Two life flights were dispatched to the scene and victims were being transported to Garfield Memorial Hospital and Kings County Hospital in Utah, Dastrup said.
Police urged civilians to steer clear of the area near Utah State Route 12 (SR-12) as multiple air ambulances and rescue teams arrived, the Utah Highway Patrol said on Twitter. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear but the bus was “severely damaged,” Dastrup said.
Troopers are en route to a tour bus crash near Bryce Canyon on SR-12. Multiple Air ambulances and rescue crews have been dispatched. We will update as more information comes in. Please avoid the area and let first responders work.
— Utah Highway Patrol (@UTHighwayPatrol) September 20, 2019
Bryce Canyon is known for its distinctive landscape of narrow red-rock spires and is located about 300 miles south of Salt Lake City.
