Deadliest Auto Crash In Maine’s History

No one thought that that day would be their last when all 15 of them loaded into a work van, heading to the job site. But their accident would be the worst in Maine's history.

As a typical logging road is in northern Maine, there are usually no speed limits and the roads aren't really straight, so excessive speed can be a real problem.

The year was 2002 and the day was September 13th, when 14 South American immigrant workers were heading to their work site near the entrance to Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

As they drove onto a bridge, going 70 mph, the van veered onto a curb on the bridge, which had no railings, and plunged to their death into the waterway below.

Fourteen bodies were pulled from the van, but there was one survivor who kicked out the back window after the plunge and made his way to safety.

The survivor and four others were from Guatemala and the other ten victims were from Honduras, according to Stephen McCausland with the Maine Public Safety Department.

This deadly crash surpassed an accident that happened in Maine in 1958.

The workers were approved to work in the U.S. as they worked for a company that employed works to clear land for a timber company.

This was the deadliest vehicle crash in Maine's history.