A bus carrying members of a church group were part of a deadly crash with two other vehicles in Tennessee, described by officials as the worst wreck they've ever reported to, CNN reported.
The crash happened on Wednesday as the bus, carrying senior citizens from Front Street Baptist Church in North Carolina, was driving on Interstate 40 on their way back from the annual Fall Jubilee in Gatlinburg, Tenn. After one of the tires malfunctioned, the bus ended up crashing with an SUV and tractor-trailer.
"The crash is so horrific ... it's probably the worst I've seen in my career, and I've worked in several counties in my" 17-year career, highway patrol Sgt. Bill Miller said.
Miller added that authorities will likely have to use dental records to identify the eight victims who were killed after suffering serious burns, making their bodies unrecognizable. The burns have already caused a delay in notifying family members of the deaths as well.
"This is hard," said Jerry Wright, whose 73-year-old brother, John, and his wife were on the bus. "You try not to think the worst, but it gets to you."
Wright told The Associated Press he believes his brother may have been driving the bus since he had beforehand.
"If he was driving, it's going to be bad," he said. "I've been trying to ring them. I've been calling their phone, but it keeps ringing and ringing and ringing."
A total of six people from the bus, one person in the SUV, and the tractor-trailer driver died in the crash. In addition, 14 people were brought to University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville for injuries, two of which were listed in critical condition, seven in serious condition, and five in stable condition as of Thursday morning.
Tim Stutts, senior pastor at the church, was en route to the site of the crash with another pastor from Front Street Baptist immediately after they were notified.
"They had been there and they were on their way home today," said Stutts' wife, Dionne. "We are devastated and just ask for the people to be praying."
