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Highway Reopens After Deadly Crash On Aurora Bridge

Elaine Thompson
/
AP

The Washington State Department of Transportation has reopened the Aurora Bridge following yesterday’s collision between a charter bus and an amphibious tour vehicle that left four people dead and dozens injured.

The stretch of State Road 99 reopened for traffic about 11 p.m., after being closed for hours as traffic investigators looked into what happened.

North Seattle College says the four people killed in the collision were international students on their way to new student orientation events.

In a statement released early this morning, the school said, "Out of respect for the families of these students, the college cannot release their names at this time." The school did, however, confirm their nationalities. “The four students represented four countries: Austria, China, Indonesia and Japan.”

The college says it has been in contact with government officials to assist in contacting the victims' family members.

Credit Ted S. Warren / AP
/
AP

Susan Gregg, a spokeswoman for Harborview and the University of Washington medical centers, released a statement Thursday night that gave the conditions of some of the 51 people who were taken to area hospitals after the crash.

At Harborview Medical Center, two people are in critical condition and 10 are in serious condition in intensive care, Gregg said. Three other people are in satisfactory condition, she said.

At the University of Washington Medical Center, two people are in intensive care, Gregg said. Three people are being treated at the Northwest Hospital & Medical Center, she said.

The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team of 17 people to Seattle, and Mayor Ed Murray said they were taking over the investigation.

As investors combed though the wreckage yesterday, Seattle-area blood centers issued an urgent call for donations after receiving a torrent of requests from local hospitals treating victims of the crash. Bloodworks Northwest CEO James AuBuchon said they have enough blood to meet the immediate need, butthey need donations to quickly replenish their supplies. He says even after an initial surge in giving, the need will remain.

“We have gotten an overwhelming immediate response, much more than we were anticipating, which was wonderful. But we will still need extra support from the community in the days and weeks to come, to rebuild the inventories,” he said.

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