Posted on 10/22/2007 2:24:17 PM PDT by Kimmers
Indianapolis - Five people were killed Sunday afternoon when the van they were riding in flipped on Interstate 69. The van was carrying families from Amish communities in New Haven and Rockville.
State police say at one point last night they had seven helicopters lined up in the northbound lane of I-69 to transport the victims. Some were taken to Indianapolis hospitals, others to Fort Wayne. Five were pronounced dead at the scene.
State police say around 4:45 pm Sunday afternoon, a 15-passenger van was headed southbound on I-69 when it left the roadway, crossed the median and flipped several times before it landed on its side in the opposite lanes of traffic. The roof of the vehicle was shorn away.The impact threw four people out of the van - an adult and three children, killing them. Another adult, the father who was driving, was also killed. He was trapped inside the vehicle.
Tire failure
"Preliminarily from witness statements, we believe there may have been a tire failure in this particular crash," said Sgt. Rod Russell, Indiana State Police.
The accident investigation is still underway. State police will have to reconstruct the accident and investigators are looking into the mechanics of the vehicle.
It was not clear at first how many people had been riding in the van, as survivors gave conflicting counts of 15, 16 or 17 passengers, Sgt. Russell said. Police and other rescuers searched for more injured people until it was clear all people in the van were accounted for at the crash site about 50 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
"It's controlled chaos, is what it is, when you have a situation like this," with ejections and multiple victims, Russell said.
The victims were from Amish communities in Indiana, police said. Troopers believed that the van may have been taking people home after a church function. Amish people generally shun modern conveniences and sometimes enlist non-Amish as drivers. But police say Melvin Fisher was driving the van.
The deceased are: Melvin Fisher (father & driver), 39; Savilla Fisher (mother), 38; Ruben Fisher, 16; Christian Fisher, 11 and Eli Fisher, 1. Seven others were injured.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash. Traffic in both directions was stopped as authorities used the highway to land medical helicopters. All lanes opened hours later.
Crash victim update
Three crash victims are still in critical condition at Methodist Hospital, including Ida Lengacher, 32, of New Haven, her daughter Julia, 3, and son John, 1. Leon Fisher is also in critical condition.
Matthew Lengacher, 9, Mary Beth Lengacher, 7 and Nathan Lengacher, 5 are in fair condition.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
I guess couple moved to IN about ten years ago from Lancaster PA and one of their relatives was murdered in that school house shooting.
The father was called a genius today in a radio interview because because he came up with a chicken processing plant that did not use electricity and still met with state approval.
Thank you for your prayers....
15 passenger vans are well known to flip.
Sad story.
Our local news is doing a follow up report on the danger of these vans....
That's just so sad.
Prayers said. I hope they also had time to pray before their untimely and tragic death. The Amish will certainly take care of the poor children left without parents and their siblings. How very sad for all. Thank you for the post.
I was watching this on the local news and could not help but cry....
I can understand that. I wonder if other Amish will consider this an omen for using modern conveniences. No ill will intended at all here, it just occurred to me.
Around here it’s fairly common for the Amish to buy and own vehicles for the entire community.
I see. Thanks for the tip.
You probably won’t find a phone in an Amish home (that would be prideful) but you’ll find them in plenty of Amish businesses and occasionally in a phone booth used by the entire community.
Thanks again. That too is news to me.
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