UPDATED -- The National Transportation Safety Board has sent a “go-team” to investigate the cause of a deadly tractor-trailer bus crash that happened Thursday in California, killing at least 10 people.

It happened around 5:30 p.m. local time along Interstate 5, about 100 miles north of Sacramento, involving a FedEx Freight truck and bus carrying Southern California area high-school students.

The driver of the truck lost control and crossed the median, reportedly trying to avoid a car, according to published reports, then slamming into the bus. The crash resulted in a huge fire, engulfing both vehicles.

More than 30 people were transported to area hospitals, with some of the injuries reportedly severe.

The crash killed the truck and bus drivers, along with five students and three chaperones, according to published reports.

In a prepared statement, a FedEx spokesperson said, "Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the tragic accident on I-5 in California. We are cooperating fully with authorities as they investigate." 

Mark Rosekind, NTSB board member said Friday morning, "We are going to be investigating the human, the machine and the environment, and what's critical for us, especially in highway accidents, is for us to collect perishable information, the kind of information that goes away very quickly. We are intersted in anything from this accident that could have some kind of national impact. 

More details are available from CBS News and the Los Angeles Times.

Update adds NTSB remarks.

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Evan Lockridge

Evan Lockridge

Former Business Contributing Editor

Trucking journalist since 1990, in the news business since early ‘80s.

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