Four children are among seven killed in upstate N.Y. accident

A runaway trailer carrying crushed cars hit a minivan in upstate New York, killing four children and three adults, officials said Thursday.

The children were all younger than 10 and the adults were in their 20s. The van was hit by the trailer on Route 13 in Truxton, about 25 miles from Syracuse. The children were from different families, Cortland County Coroner Whitney Meeker told the Associated Press.

Officials said they were investigating why the trailer carrying the crushed cars broke free from its truck around 6 p.m. Wednesday. Route 13 was reopened Thursday morning.

One of the passengers in the van was injured and taken to a hospital.

Neither the driver nor a passenger in the truck was hurt, officials said.

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