Several people killed in a fiery crash in Connecticut

A fiery crash involving 18 vehicles in Connecticut, including a commercial bus, killed several people Friday and injured at least 13, officials said.

Department of Transportation spokesperson Chris Cooper said at least five people were killed, but Avon Police Capt. Mark Rinaldo said he could confirm only three. He said that number could rise as emergency crews reach more vehicles involved in the crash.

"We have a mass casualty accident," Rinaldo said.

The chain-reaction crash started when a long-bed dump truck collided with the bus, said Ed Lescoe, a spokesperson for the Capitol Region Emergency Planning Agency. That sparked a fire that engulfed several vehicles, including the truck.

At least 13 people were sent to hospitals, several by helicopter with serious injuries, the AP reports.

According to All Headline News, at least two rescue helicopters are deployed and emergency crews cover three vehicles with red tarps.

A commercial bus is among the vehicles involved in the fiery wreck. According to a traffic reporter with WTIC-AM, several vehicles are burned, including a large trash truck. Police say the accident took place a little after 8 a.m. Friday morning.

The accident forced the highway to be shut down.