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Families gathered Friday in hospitals in the Gainesville area to care for the eight injured on Interstate 75 on Thursday afternoon.
Bryan Ross, affiliated with Avoyelles House of Mercy, announced that the van was leaving Marksville that morning. Nine children and three adults – including the pastor's wife – traveled in the vehicle.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the van was hit by a semitrailer truck that had touched another vehicle and crossed the median in southbound lanes. The Pentecostal church van was hit and knocked down several times, expelling some of its occupants.
The agency released Friday the names of the victims.
The children killed, all from Marksville, were Cierra Bordelan, 9 years old; Brieana Descant, 10 years old; Cara Descant, 13 years old; and Joel Cloud and Jeremiah Warren, both 14 years old.
The two dead truck drivers are Steve Holland, 59, from West Palm Beach, Florida; and Douglas Bolkema, 49, from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
"It's a tragedy," Ross told CNN.
The District Office of the United Pentecostal Church in Louisiana reported on Facebook that Karen Descant, wife of Pastor Descant, suffered several injuries. One pregnant woman was stabilized and another woman suffered minor injuries. Four other children "have all been injured, but the medical staff feels that they will all heal and recover."
According to the message, one of the five dead children was Reverend Descant's granddaughter.
"Please pray, for the healing of these physical injuries, and perhaps even more, pray for this religious family that has been so overwhelmingly affected by this tragedy," said Kevin Cox. , District Superintendent of the Church. "Please pray for families who have lost precious children, other victims of the accident, all involved in relief, and the family of the church.They will need our prayers in the weeks and the coming months. "
The accident occurred near Gainesville, according to authorities.
The road patrol stated that preliminary information indicated that a tractor-trailer and a car heading north on I-75 crashed and passed through a security barrier to enter the southbound lanes. The truck hit the large passenger van and another semi-truck. A fifth vehicle struck occupants or debris on the roadway, said Lt. Patrick Riordan.
A photo posted by Alachua County firefighters showed a burning semi-trailer truck with a vehicle in the interior.
Patients transported to the scene have serious and serious injuries, the authorities said.
An investigation into a homicide is under way, Riordan told reporters.
Steve Almasy of CNN, Phil Gast, Chuck Johnston and Tina Burnside contributed to this information.
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