POLK COUNTY, Fla. – One passenger was killed and 10 others were injured early Monday in a head-on crash involving a bus and a tanker on U.S. Highway 98 in Polk County, according to sheriff’s officials.
The fatal wreck happened around 6 a.m. on U.S. Highway 98 east at Adams Road in Fort Meade.
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According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the crash involved a tanker truck that was transporting unleaded fuel and a migrant worker bus owned by Overlook Harvesting in Winter Haven.
The bus, carrying 38 people, was heading to Plant City, where the workers were going to pick strawberries, officials said.
Investigators said the bus was headed west when, for an unknown reason, it crossed into the eastbound lane and struck the eastbound tanker.
One bus passenger died at the scene and nine other passengers were taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, Sebring Hospital, Lake Wales Hospital and Tampa General Hospital.
The tanker driver was taken to Bartow Regional Medical Center with less serious injuries, deputies said.
Fuel leaked from the tanker, closing the roadway for more than eight hours.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more information as we receive it.