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RED BLUFF, Calif. (AP) — Federal investigators say they cannot corroborate a driver's claim that a FedEx tractor-trailer was already on fire before it careened across a freeway median, sideswiped her car and slammed into a bus carrying high school students, killing 10 people in a fiery wreck.
National Transportation Safety Board member Mark Rosekind says investigators are still looking for more witnesses to Thursday's crash. They also plan to conduct tests to determine if the truck driver inhaled smoke before the collision and search for evidence of a fire at the crash scene before the vehicles exploded into towering flames and billowing black smoke.
Investigators also found no signs that the truck driver attempted to brake before the crash. They found no tire marks as the truck careened across Interstate 5 and slammed into the bus taking the students to a tour of Humboldt State University in Northern California. Five students, three adult chaperones and both drivers died. Rosekind says the bus driver had relieved another driver whose shift ended during a stop in Sacramento.
%@AP Links
183-a-08-(Mark Rosekind (ROHZ'-kynd), NTSB board member, at news conference)-"three-point restraints"-NTSB board member Mark Rosekind says the bus carrying high school students and chaperones was equipped with safety features. (12 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *183 (04/12/14)££ 00:08 "three-point restraints"
184-a-19-(Mark Rosekind (ROHZ'-kynd), NTSB board member, at news conference)-"of the crash"-NTSB board member Mark Rosekind says investigators will be looking at the tractor-trailer's steering and transmission systems. ((note length of cut)) (12 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *184 (04/12/14)££ 00:19 "of the crash"
181-a-17-(Mark Rosekind (ROHZ'-kynd), NTSB board member, at news conference)-"across the median"-NTSB board member Mark Rosekind says investigators have heard that flames may have been coming from the FedEx truck before impact. (12 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *181 (04/12/14)££ 00:17 "across the median"
182-a-07-(Mark Rosekind (ROHZ'-kynd), NTSB board member, at news conference)-"tire marks anywhere"-NTSB board member Mark Rosekind says the FedEx truck driver may not have applied the brakes prior to the impact. (12 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *182 (04/12/14)££ 00:07 "tire marks anywhere"
114-a-14-(Joe Duran, who was in a sedan heading northbound on the 5 Freeway on Thursday when he said a FedEx truck heading south careened toward the car and sideswiped the vehicle, in interview)-"go we're alive"-Joe Duran says he and his wife are lucky to be alive. COURTESY: KNBC TV ((mandatory on-air credit)) (12 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *114 (04/12/14)££ 00:14 "go we're alive"
113-a-04-(Bonnie Duran, who was in a sedan heading northbound on the 5 Freeway on Thursday when she said a FedEx truck heading south careened toward her car snf sideswiped the vehicle, in interview)-"behind the cab"-Bonnie Duran says there were flames coming from the FedEx truck before it struck the California tour bus crash. COURTESY: KNBC TV ((mandatory on-air credit)) (12 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *113 (04/12/14)££ 00:04 "behind the cab"
112-a-02-(Bonnie Duran, who was in a sedan heading northbound on the 5 Freeway on Thursday when she said a FedEx truck heading south careened toward them, and sideswiped the vehicle, in interview)-"through the median"-Bonnie Duran says FedEx truck was on fire before deadly bus crash. COURTESY: KNBC TV ((mandatory on-air credit)) (12 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *112 (04/12/14)££ 00:02 "through the median"
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