Tanker truck hits grove-worker bus in Fort Meade. One person killed, 10 sent to hospitals

A collision between a semi-tanker truck and a farm-worker bus carrying 38 people east of Fort Meade early Monday killed one person and sent nine others to hospitals, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

The crash happened just after 6 a.m. Monday on U.S. 98 East between Adams Road and Avon Park Cutoff Road east of Fort Meade.

The tanker truck was carrying unleaded fuel. The bus, owned by Overlook Harvesting in Winter Haven, had 38 people on board and was headed to strawberry fields in Plant City.

The Sheriff's office said one person on the bus died at the scene. Nine people on the bus were taken to four hospitals: Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, Sebring Hospital, Lake Wales Hospital and Tampa General Hospital. The tanker driver was taken to Bartow Regional Medical Center with less-serious injuries.

Near County Line and I-4 Man charged with attempted murder after shooting outside Lakeland McDonald's

On U.S. 92 Lakeland man charged after hit-and-run crash that killed bicyclist

"The good news is all 38 weren't killed, because it was a horrific crash," Polk County Grady Judd said in a early Monday press briefing.

According to the initial investigation, the Sheriff's Office said the bus was headed west and, for unknown reasons, crossed into the eastbound lane and struck the tanker head-on. Some fuel from the tanker leaked, and another tanker was brought in to haul away the rest.

The highway was reopened shortly after 2:30 p.m.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: One dead, 10 sent to hospitals after tanker hits bus in Fort Meade