Horror as 16-year-old boy dies after sticking his head out of party bus roof and smashing skull against bridge

Daniel Fernandez, 16, was riding with 65 other friends to birthday party in New Jersey from Queens school

Stuck his head out of double-decker hatch

As bus went through overpass, Fernandez struck his head as horrified friends looked on



Was pronounced DOA at hospital



A 16-year-old student was fatally injured Friday evening after he stuck his head out of a bus’s roof hatch, and the vehicle drove through an overpass on the George Washington Bridge.

Daniel Fernandez was riding through New York on a double-decker bus with friends celebrating a Sweet 16 party when he opened up the roof hatch and stuck his head out.



The bus was carrying more than 60 teenagers to the party, many of who were forced to witness the horrific event.

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Horror: Daniel Fernandez, pictured, died on Friday evening after sticking his head out of a double-decker bus which went through an underpass

Scene: The accident happened on I-95 southbound, near the George Washington Bridge

According to th e New York Times , Mr Fernandez was on his way to a birthday party in New Jersey and was coming from St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens.



As the bus drove through the Fletcher Avenue Underpass around 6.30pm, he struck his head on the concrete structure.

The teenager was hurried to Hackensack University Medical Center, but was pronounced dead on arrival, according to Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman.

Twitter user Kaylan Baez was apparently on the double-decker bus, and wrote early Saturday morning: ‘Never thought I would ever witness something like that. My prayers go out to dan and his family. R.I.P. Daniel Fernandez.’

Earlier in the evening, she was tweeting about how excited she was for the party.

Another girl who was on the bus tweeted: 'Sitting here with your blood on my foot wishing this was all a bad dream. I love you so much Dan you were there for me till the last second.'

Impact: The roof hatch was found bent back from the impact

Party bus: The double-decker bus was carrying 65 other teenagers to a birthday party in New Jersey

According to the New Milford, New Je rsey Patch , many o f the 65 teenagers on the double-decker bus ran onto the highway following the accident.

Another bus was stopped, and the remaining teenagers were shuttled to the Fort Lee Port Authority station. No other teenagers on the bus were injured.

The bus’ hatch was bent back from the impact. According to the Cliffview Pilot , the re is supposed to be a safety seal on the hatch.

Designer Limousines, the company that owns the double-decker bus, did not immediately respond to MailOnline’s request for comment.

Shock: One girl apparently witnessed Mr Fernandez's death and tweeted her disbelief

The bus involved in the accident has two floors with a dance floor on the lower level, as well as touch-operated juice machines, satellite TV and WiFi, as well as a V.I.P. room and two sound systems. It is advertised as being able to fit 70 passengers.

The traumatic turn of events led to hours of traffic congestion along the southbound area of the George Washington Bridge as investigators tried to piece together what happened.

And though no other teens on the bus were injured, sources told ABC 7 that many of them suffered severe emotional trauma from witnessing their friend’s death.