( CNN ) -- An October three-vehicle collision that left eight people dead in eastern Tennessee was caused by a blown front tire on a church bus , investigators said Monday . The bus was traveling east on Interstate 40 in Jefferson County , Tennessee , when the tire blew , causing the driver to lose control . The bus veered into the median and ran through a cable barrier before crashing into a Chevy Tahoe and tractor-trailer in the westbound lanes . `` This tragedy was the result of blunt-force impact to the front tire that weakened its internal structure and caused the tire 's failure . There was no evidence of any pre-existing condition to the tire , '' Col. Tracy Trott of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said . He added that there is no evidence any of the drivers in the crash were impaired or distracted . There was also nothing to indicate the bus was n't well-maintained , he said . The bus , which was owned by Front Street Baptist Church in Statesville , North Carolina , was carrying 18 passengers , five of whom were ejected and killed . Another died inside the bus , while one of the three occupants of the Tahoe died , as did the tractor-trailer 's driver . The bus was carrying a group of seniors on their way back home from a religious conference . The group was called `` Young at Heart , '' pastor Rick Cruz said at the time . They were returning home from the 17th annual Fall Jubilee conference in Gatlinburg after three days of preaching and singing . `` We do know that there were several that went on to be with the Lord , '' Cruz told his congregants during a sermon after the crash .
A 3-vehicle crash in eastern Tennessee left eight people dead , police say . Highway Patrol says blunt - force impact caused tire to collapse , bus to veer across median . Inquiry turns up no evidence that drivers were impaired or bus was in disrepair . Bus was carrying seniors home from religious services in Gatlinburg .