By Steve Almasy
CNN
(CNN) — At least five people were killed and 25 others were injured when a bus ran a red light on a Florida highway and collided with a tractor trailer, the Florida Highway Patrol said Saturday.
The driver of the semi and four people on the bus were killed, authorities said.
CNN affiliate WCTV spoke with a woman who lived near the Wakulla County intersection, south of Tallahassee, where the accident took place Saturday morning about 5:20 a.m. ET.
“It was mainly blood that I saw, but one dude had blood all over his clothes, this woman had a gash in her forehead about an inch deep,” Shelby Mosley said.
Both the bus, with 34 people on board, and the tractor trailer caught fire.
Wakulla County Sheriff Charlie Creel said some of his deputies climbed on the bus and pulled victims to safety before the flames engulfed the vehicle.
“We would have had more (deaths) if it hadn’t been for the efforts of our deputies,” he told WCTV.
The driver of the bus was hospitalized in critical condition, the highway patrol said.
No charges have been filed. Authorities said the 18-wheeler was traveling westbound on U.S. 98. The bus was headed south on state road 363, also known as Woodville Highway. There is a stop sign and a flashing red light for drivers on SR363.
Authorities were working Saturday to notify the families of the victims.
