A vehicle was traveling west on Norrish Road, near State Route 115, when it traveled “on the straight path” of a large truck traveling north on 115, said California highway patrol officer Arturo Platero. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
There were 27 passengers in the SUV that hit a truck full of gravel, said Judy Cruz, managing director of the Emergency Department at El Centro Regional Medical Center.
She said 14 people died at the scene and another person died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
“Patients are going through a difficult time, as you can imagine,” said Adolphe Edward, CEO of El Centro Regional Medical Center. “This was a serious accident and we are attending the emergency room.”
Imperial County Fire officials said several agencies are responding to the accident, which is being treated as an event with mass casualties.
The crash site was in southeastern California, about 10 miles east of El Centro and about 10 miles north of the Mexican border.