A bus carrying prisoners slid off an overpass that was icy, down an embankment, and collided with a train that was going by. At least 10 people were killed.

The collision took place near the town of Penwell, Texas. The bus had 12 inmates onboard and three corrections officers. The prisoners were handcuffed together by twos. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice stated that eight of the prisoners died in the collision, along with two of the corrections officers.

The surviving five people on board are in bad shape. A spokeswoman for Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, Tiffany Harston, said that four of them are in critical condition and the other one is in serious condition.

No one on the Union Pacific train was injured. Although none of the cars derailed, two trailer loads of UPS packages were involved, and packages were spread all around the area. UPS will be sending vehicles to ensure that the packages are delivered as quickly as possible.

The bus was going from a prison in Abilene to another one in El Paso. It left the Texas highway and collided with the train at about 7:30 am. Mark Donaldson, Sheriff of Ector County, stated that the overpass was still slick with ice when he saw it.

After the accident, the bus landed on its side. The top of the bus was caved in, and its bottom side was also heavily damaged.
Authorities are wondering if an earlier accident at the same spot could have caused this accident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is sending investigators to the scene. The railroad is also sending an inspection team to ensure the train and track are not damaged. The train was stopped nearby until the inspection could take place.

When government officials in Texas heard of the wreck, they took time to mention it. The Texas state representative, Tan Parker, notified the Texas House and then led in a moment of silence. The Lt. Gov. of Texas, Dan Patrick, offered condolencesto the families of those who were killed in the wreck.

Some rescue crews who had seen other wrecks mentioned that they had not seen one this bad before. Chief Kavin Tinney, from the Odessa Fire and Rescue Batallion, said the crash was as bad as anything else he had seen in 32 years.

Brad Livingston, who is the executive director for the Department of Criminal Justice, said that they are mourning the loss of lives involved in the accident. He also mentioned that their loved ones are also in their prayers and thoughts.