Pro hockey bus rolls, 5 injured

A bus carrying an AHL hockey team, the Albany River Rats , rolled over on the Massachusetts Turnpike Thursday morning, seriously injuring at least five people.

The head coach of the Albany River Rats, Jeff Daniels, told 22News that when the bus started to slide and roll over it seemed like it was happening in slow motion.

He said immediately after the crash everyone was screaming and trying to check on their teammates. Players and coaches had to crawl out of windows and emergency exits to get to safety.

The bus rolled over between Interchange 3 in Westfield and Interchange 2 in Lee around 3:30 a.m. on Thursday.

The Mass Pike was closed for a few hours after the crash. All lanes have since been reopened, but the bus remained in the breakdown lane as of 10:30 a.m.

Five people suffered serious injures and were taken by ambulance to Berkshire Medical Center . Three people are being treated for severe cuts and lacerations, two others are being treated for neck injuries.

Twenty-seven others were taken to the hospital as a precaution.

In all, 32 people were aboard the Yankee Trail Coach bus -- 21 players, two coaches, three trainers, and two media personel. The hockey team was returning to Albany following a game Wednesday night in Lowell, Mass.

Trooper Harrison said the accident is believed to be weather related.

Albany is scheduled to play the Springfield Falcons again on Friday, March 6th. The Falcons lost to the River Rats last Friday on the road.