3 people dead after charter bus crash near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

LOWER PAXTON TWP., Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- State police say three people are dead after a charter bus was involved in a crash in central Pennsylvania.

The crash happened during heavy rain at about 11:50 p.m. Sunday on southbound Interstate 81 in Dauphin County's Lower Paxton Township, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania State Police said.

Investigators say the bus swerved to avoid another vehicle that was stopped on the road and overturned.

Authorities say 45 to 50 people were on board the bus at the time of the crash.

The passengers who were killed were pronounced dead at the scene.

Hershey Medical Center received 28 patients from the crash, spokesperson Scott Gilbert said in an email.

As of Monday morning, two people were admitted as inpatients, 16 were being treated in the emergency department, and 10 were discharged. He said the hospital was told several other people were taken to another hospital.

The injured range in age from 1 year old to 69 years old.

The bus trip originated in New York, abc27 News in Harrisburg reports.

The station said that police would not say where the bus was headed, saying they wanted to make sure that the families of the victims were notified first.

The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania was providing food, drinks, and cots at the Chambers Hill Fire Department for passengers being discharged from the hospital.

Officials said they closed the reception center that was operating out of the Chambers Hill Fire Company Monday in response to the crash.

At the center, the Red Cross assisted 25 people who were involved in the collision. There were 23 adults and two children among them.

All passengers who received care from the Red Cross left the facility by 4 p.m. for their destination, officials stated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.