2 hurt as vehicles on New York State Thruway hit by quarry blast debris

This has not a good week for high school band students traveling by bus to competitions. First, there was the accident outside of Philadelphia as referenced at http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2007/05/tour-bustractor-trailer-crash-closes-pa.html. On Friday, limestone from the nearby quarry owned by Albany, NY-based Callanan Industries, went wayward and pelted a charter bus with 52 people traveling down the New York Thruway near Amsterdam, NY. The bus was traveling from the northeastern Connecticut town of Grosvenordale to the bustling metropolis of Toronto (news reports on the radio that I heard mentioned Niagara Falls as opposed to Toronto).

Two girls were taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam for examination as a result of the 80 pound boulder that had struck the bus. One girl had injuries to her neck and back, and the other girl's injuries were not disclosed at this time. Another car was hit by another rock from the same quarry, and the driver of the car, Colin Seddon of Utica, NY, suffered abdominal injuries.

As a regular traveler of the New York Thruway between Albany and the Central and Western New York State hubs of Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, this does concern me. Not only do I have to worry about the regular conditions that affect driving (weather, speed, etc.), but apparently I now have to worry about flying debris coming from around the bend as well.

Story: 2 hurt as vehicles hit by quarry blast debris - Albany Times Union

I heard this story first by listening to the Joe Gallagher Show.

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