A bus transporting members of the Lives Changed By Christ (LCBC) church crashed in Pennsylvania on Sunday, leaving some of the individuals in critical condition.
According to a police report shared by People, the vehicle was traveling in the southbound lane of Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County when the driver lost control of the unit. The bus exited the lane and continued to travel across Route 25 where it struck a center guide rail before it hit an embankment and traveled about 50 yards into a wooded area.
Tremont Fire Chief Brian Eisenacher told PA Homepage that the victims were brought to different hospitals.
"At this time we transported 32 to the local hospitals. Several went by helicopter, mostly by ground EMS to several hospitals throughout the county," he said.
"We had to pretty much work off the ladders alongside the bus to get the patients out. Everyone pretty much was inside the bus still when we got here, and we had mostly everybody transported probably within the hour," he added.
A number of emergency medical service personnel responded to the incident. A drone was also used to track the path of the bus.
Eisanacher noted that getting people out of the vehicle was challenging.
"Incidents like this take a lot of manpower to get people out of the bus and then down into ambulances that are waiting down here. It takes a pile of people to get something like this accomplished."
Of the 31 victims, five are in critical condition. A firefighter also suffered minor injuries.
LCBC posted about the accident on its Facebook page and asked people to pray for those affected.
In LCBC's updates on its website, captured by The Christian Post, Senior Pastor David Ashcraft said that the people involved in the accident are students and leaders of the church's Manheim Campus who were returning from a retreat in New York's Lake Champion.
The minister revealed Tuesday that 21 of the victims were already released from the hospital.
In the latest update, Pastor Ashcraft encouraged his congregants by sharing about God's plans.
"...sometimes I don't understand God's plans. But over the years, particularly in situations like Sunday's accident, I've learned that when I don't like God's plans, that's exactly the time that I need to step back and remind myself of who God is," he said in the written statement.
In the video clip, he cited Isaiah 55:8-9, pointing out that the plans of God are nothing like those of man. Thus, he told the church members that this is the time to lean on God and not to back away from Him.
Further, he shared about one of the surgeons who performed an operation on one of the victims. The doctor was so amazed with how the patient responded in surgery that he wanted to go to their church.
He then challenged the congregants to keep leaning on God. Pastor Ashcraft also urged them to pray for the victims and their family members, as well as the doctors, nurses and medical staff.
To support the families of the individuals involved in the accident, the LCBC created the Fall Retreat Bus Accident Support Fund where people can donate online. Donors can also mail their checks to Finance, 2392 Mount Joy Rd, Manheim, PA 17545.
Please pray for comfort and complete recovery of all of the victims.
