13 dead, 31 more injured, in Californian tour bus crash
At least 13 people have died and about 31 more injured after a tour bus collided with a semi-trailer in California.
The collision happened on the westbound Interstate 10, near Palm Springs, about 5am Sunday morning, local time.
Local news reports the USA Holiday bus was transporting people from LA to the casinos in Southern California when it smashed into the back of a truck and became enveloped in its trailer.
The driver of the truck was reportedly unhurt.
Dozens of firefighters who raced to the scene faced difficulty reaching the passengers.
Some used chainsaws to break open the vehicle to free the victims, while others worked outside the mangled bus, using ladders to pull people from windows.
Cranes were used to pry the two vehicles apart.
The driver is believed to be one of the bus company owners.
California Highway Patrol Officer Stephanie Hamilton told the [Desert Sun|http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2016/10/23/least-three-dead-after-interstate-10-bus-crash/92641620/|popup=true]Desert Sun: “There are approximately 31 passengers on the bus that were transported [to local hospitals] with minor to serious injuries."
Witness Poet Aleman, who stopped on the highway to see the grisly aftermath, told The Desert Sun it looked like the truck tried to merge into the lane the bus was travelling in.
"The whole front of the bus up to about the second or third row of seats was completely crushed into the left rear side of the semi truck," Aleman told The Desert Sun.
"By the time I got there there were at least a dozen firefighters climbing into the passenger bus pulling people out."
It is not yet known if any Australian nationals were on board, or the nationalities of other passengers.
The injured were being treated at local hospitals, including five in a critical condition. Westbound lanes of the interstate were closed near the crash, according to the reports.
The bus had left the Red Earth Casino in Salton City, California, and was headed to Los Angeles when the crash was reported to the California Highway Patrol.
