C*******r
发帖数: 10345 | 1 DANDRIDGE, TN (AP) - A bus taking a church group home to North Carolina blew
a tire, veered across a highway median and crashed into a sport utility
vehicle and tractor-trailer Wednesday in a fiery wreck that killed eight
people, authorities said.
Fourteen other people were hurt in the accident in northeastern Tennessee,
including eight who were in critical condition. The bus was carrying members
of the Front Street Baptist Church in Statesville, N.C., which is about 140
miles east of the crash site.
The group of seniors, known as Young at Heart, had been to the 17th annual
Fall Jubilee in Gatlinburg, Tenn., a three-day event featuring gospel
singers and speakers.
Inside the Statesville church, people were crying and hugging each other.
One woman whispered "It's going to be all right" while hugging another woman
. A service was scheduled for Wednesday night.
George Stadfeld, who has been a member of the church for eight years, said
he knew everyone on the bus.
"We're all shaken," he said. "As bad as it is, they're all Christians and I
know where they're at. I'll join them later."
The Fall Jubilee website described the gathering as "three days of singing,
laughing and preaching" for "mature and senior believers."
After the accident, a banner was posted on top of the website saying, "Our
thoughts are with our friends at Front Street Baptist Church in their tragic
loss. ... all the Jubilee team have you in our prayers."
Dionne Stutts, wife of Front Street Baptist senior pastor Tim Stutts, said
her husband and another pastor from the church were en route to the wreck.
"They had been there and they were on their way home today," she said. "We
are devastated and just ask for the people to be praying."
Authorities said the chartered bus crossed the median about 2 p.m., clipped
the oncoming SUV and slammed into the tractor-trailer, which burst into
flames.
Several hours after the crash, clouds of smoke still rose from the tractor-
trailer and tree branches that lined the highway were charred.
The bus was on its side next to the tractor-trailer, lying across two lanes
of traffic and extending partially into the median. Debris littered the
interstate.
The SUV was about 50 yards away from the other vehicles. It was still
upright, but the back half had been completely ripped off.
The interstate was completely shut down in both directions, and the scene
was eerily quiet, despite the presence of many emergency workers. The
loudest noise came from helicopters flying overhead.
Susan Wyatt, a spokeswoman for the University of Tennessee Medical Center,
said 12 people had been brought to the hospital, four by helicopter, and two
more were still en route four hours after the accident.
Wyatt said in addition to those in critical condition, two were in serious
condition and two were stable.
State Department of Safety and Homeland Security spokeswoman Dalya Qualls
said in an email 18 people were on the bus and six of them were killed. One
person among the three in the SUV was killed and the tractor-trailer driver
also died.
None of the victims had been identified.
At the church, Jerry Wright said his 73-year-old brother, John, and his wife
were on the bus, and he thinks his brother may have been driving the church
bus because he had done it in the past.
"If he was driving, it's going to be bad," Jerry Wright, 71, said. "I've
been trying to ring them. I've been calling their phone, but it keeps
ringing and ringing and ringing."
Brady Johnson, superintendent of the Iredell County-Statesville City Schools
, said a lot of people who work for the school system are church members.
Johnson said he knew people on the bus and they were awaiting word on the
conditions.
Johnson said the church had adopted N.B. Mills Elementary School, providing
volunteers and school supplies for needy children.
Now, the school system is offering a high school auditorium as a site for a
memorial.
"It hits the community as a whole when tragedy strikes. The whole community
comes together," he said.
The accident shut down Interstate 40 in Jefferson County near the Interstate
81 interchange. Eastbound traffic was being diverted at I-81 while
westbound traffic was diverted at Exit 432.
The THP estimates the interstate will reopen by 8 p.m. CDT. | C*******r
发帖数: 10345 | | z********o
发帖数: 18304 | 3 在基们看来，这起交通事故必然是“神”的“美意”，对不对？ | J*******g
发帖数: 8775 | 4 我希望死者家人可以节哀，希望上帝给他们以安慰。作为信主的人，希望死者可以得到
上帝的宽恕。
我从你身上看出，你这种反基的人性才是扭曲的。
你天天说“基督教扭曲人性”，我就说你反的是你头脑里臆造的“基督教”，其实人性
扭曲的是你自己。
我从没见过像你这样说话的正常人。你在精神病里都应该算重症。该吃药了。
【在 z********o 的大作中提到】
: 在基们看来，这起交通事故必然是“神”的“美意”，对不对？
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