MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Florida man says he is not taking anything for granted after he survived a Greyhound bus crash Monday night near Jackson, TN.
Mahdi Kassam said the bus was traveling from Memphis to Nashville when it suddenly lost control along Highway 70.
He said the bus collided with a pickup truck and landed in a ditch, trapping passengers inside.
“It was going towards a ditch, but it was a bumpy ride towards that ditch,” said Kassam. “Some seats and things fell, and folks got stuck. They had to use the Jaws of Life to get folks out.”
Two people were killed and 30 others were transported to the hospital following the wreck. A Greyhound spokesperson said a total of 34 people were on board, including 32 passengers, one bus operator, and one relief driver.
Kassam said he had been in Memphis for business and was sitting near the middle of the bus in an aisle seat. He said he managed to climb out a window and helped others escape from the bus.
“There was even a point where we thought the bus was smoking. So, like that, you caused so much panic just trying to get out, and some folks like me who were able-bodied and were able to jump out of the bus from the window, we helped kids and stuff. Me and another guy.” Kassam said.
Kassam escaped with just a few scrapes and bruises. He said one of the people who died in the crash was a passenger who was in a wheelchair at the front of the bus.
“I don’t even want to think about who was possibly the second person,” he said.
Kassam said someone was able to get the driver out of the pickup truck that appeared to be on fire.
He doesn’t know what caused the bus to lose control, but said he won’t be traveling with Greyhound again.
“I would not put a loved one on Greyhound, including myself. I don’t know what has happened with that company, but I’ve always had bad experiences,” Kassam said.
Greyhound said it is actively investigating the situation, and most of the people hospitalized had already been released.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is also investigating the fatal crash. There is no information on the condition of the driver of the pickup.