CHESTER TOWNSHIP – A child was killed in a shuttle bus accident at a fall festival Sunday afternoon in Chester Township, authorities said today.
Police have not released the name of the child, but a friend of the family identified her as 2-year-old Elizabeth Fuehring, whose mother Sarah suffered a broken leg in the accident.
A fundraising effort is underway to cover the child's funeral, the friend, Heather Riegler, told NJ Advance Media.
On Sunday, police were dispatched around 4:40 p.m. to Alstede Farms, which is located on Route 513, across from Chubb Park, on a report of an accident in the parking lot area.
Witnesses at the scene said that two shuttle buses collided in the parking lot, injuring several people.
Multiple attendees at the festival told NJ Advance Media that a young girl was given CPR at the scene, and several others described watching helicopters arrive to take the victims to area hospitals.
On Monday, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office confirmed that a child was killed and two adults sustained injuries in the accident. An investigation is ongoing and the prosecutor's office said it does not anticipate providing any further updates today.
Township Mayor Bill Cogger, as well as neighbors in the area, told reporters there are traffic jams in and around the popular Alstede Farm on weekends and that it's been an issue for years.
Coggers told NJ Advance Media on Monday that what occurred Sunday "was an accident waiting to happen" and that he is "very frustrated" the municipality cannot do more to address traffic safety in the area.
"But, there's a limited amount of things we can do," the mayor said. "All commercial farms with income greater than $10,000 are covered by the Right to Farm Act, rather than municipal ordinances."
Coggers said the farm has expended "a lot of money" trying to devise solutions for congestion in the area, which include hiring police officers, security personnel and parking assistants and working with the county to add turning lanes.
The family-owned farm was established in 1982 and offers 200 different fruits, vegetables and flowers on its 600-plus aces of farmland, the majority of which is permanently preserved through the state.
Tens of thousands of people visit the farm annually to shop at the farm store and garden center, pick their own pumpkins or enjoy pony rides, hay rides and corn mazes. The farm also offers a strawberry festival, peach festival and blueberry festival.
This weekend was busy for the farm, as the 31st annual Chester Harvest Festival was held on Saturday and Sunday.
On Monday morning, Kurt Alstede was not available for comment.
Attempts to reach Cambridge Coach, the operator of one of the buses involved in the accident were not successful.
The other bus is maintained by Alstede Farms, The Streets of Chester Shopping Center and the Historic Chester Business Association. A message left with the business association was not returned.
Kimberly Redmond may be reached at kredmond@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @kr0618. Find NJ.com on Facebook.