© 2026 ABC News

Its lead investigator on the scene will be Pete Kotowski, and the team will be there about five days, Sumwalt said.

In response to a reporter's question about a toxicology test on the driver, Fiore said part of the investigation will be an autopsy on the driver.

Also part of the probe will be whether the driver and the passengers were wearing seatbelts. Fiore said, according to New York State law, the driver and passengers in the front seat are required to wear seatbelts, while occupants in the back are not.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said his \"heart breaks\" for the victims, adding that he's directed state agencies to help with the investigation.

\"I join all New Yorkers in mourning these deaths and share in the unspeakable sorrow experienced by their families and loved ones during this extremely difficult time,\" he said in a statement.

New York Sen. Chuck Schumer tweeted: \"May God bless the families who lost loved ones.\"

Heartbroken to learn of the terrible accident in Schoharie. May God bless the families who lost loved ones, as well as my dear friends from Schoharie emergency service agencies who responded.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 7, 2018

State Police set up a phone line for relatives of the victims. Those for looking for assistance can call 1-877-672-4911.

\"PHOTO:
WTEN
PHOTO: Multiple deaths are reported after a limousine accident in upstate New York near Albany on Oct. 6, 2018.
>

There have been other deadly limousine accidents in recent years. In 2013, a limo in San Francisco caught fire and passengers were trapped without an accessible exit.

The next year in New Jersey, a limo bus carrying actor Tracy Morgan collided with a tractor-trailer; one passenger died and Morgan and another passenger were injured.

And back in 2005, a 7-year-old girl in a wedding limousine died in Long Island, New York, after a drunken driver plowed into them head-on. The limo driver was also killed in the crash.

In 2015, the NTSB, at the urging of Schumer, made a commitment to investigate more stretch limousine accidents on a case-by-case basis.

ABC News' Ben Stein, Joshua Hoyos and Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.

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