Six people were killed and 18 injured after a school bus and a tractor-trailer collided on an Ohio highway Tuesday morning.
Five vehicles were struck in the crash, which occurred just before 9 a.m. on Interstate 70 West in Licking County near the Smoke Road underpass.
The semi-trailer rammed the bus and started a major fire that destroyed the truck.
Sean Grady, director of the Licking County Emergency Management Agency, said the charter bus was transporting students from a school in eastern Ohio. There were a total of 57 people on board, he said.
Images from the scene of the accident show that the rear of the bus is completely engulfed in flames.
Fifteen of the 18 injured are believed to be teenagers, and local schools in the Tuscarawas Valley said there may have been “serious injuries” among students.
The accident occurred just before 9 a.m. on Interstate 70 West in Licking County, near the Smoke Road underpass
Sean Grady, director of the Licking County Emergency Management Agency, said the charter bus seen here in flames was transporting students from a school in eastern Ohio
At least three people were killed and 15 injured in the incident early Tuesday morning
Images from the scene of the accident show that the rear of the bus is completely engulfed in flames
Additional images captured by traffic cameras and shared by the Ohio Department of Transportation show the emergency response on scene.
Thick clouds of smoke can be seen coming from the two vehicles while a massive emergency service is deployed at the scene.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said his prayers went out to everyone involved in the crash and their families and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff.
“This is our worst nightmare, a bus full of children being involved in an accident, and certainly the worst nightmare that a family or a school can endure,” he said.
He said the investigation into the crash would take some time. As of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, the eastbound highway had reopened, but the westbound highway remained closed.
The bus was carrying students and chaperones from the Tuscarawas Valley to an Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus, Superintendent Derek Varansky said.
In a post on Facebook, Varansky said, “Today a charter bus carrying students and chaperones from Tusky Valley en route to the Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus was involved in a very serious accident.”
“We understand from law enforcement that there could be multiple serious injuries and we are working to determine the details.”
“We will share updates with you as we can, including our plans for upcoming school days and events.”
“Right now our focus is on connecting with our Tusky Valley families whose loved ones were on the bus and supporting our entire school community.”
“Our Trojan family is strong, and it will take that strength and love to get through these challenging days ahead.”
Images captured by 10TV show the rear of the bus engulfed in the worst of the flames, while the semi-truck was completely decimated.
Dozens of emergency responders from throughout Licking County and eastern Franklin County were dispatched to the area on a report of an accident
The scanner traffic revealed that a semi-trailer had hit a bus with dozens of passengers
A public safety advisory was issued to motorists in the area of the accident advising that the closure would last several hours
A witness at the scene told ABC 6’s Kate Siefert that her 10-year-old granddaughter was very upset.
“They said they saw a firefighter get into the burning bus just before it exploded.”
The bus involved in the accident is from Pioneer Trails, a family-owned business that has operated out of Millersburg for 40 years, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Pioneer Trails said in a statement that the company is “cooperating fully with authorities in the investigation into the cause of the accident” and extends prayers to the victims and their families.
The Ohio Department of Transportation said the estimated duration of the road closure is unknown at this time
Mickey Lymon, an investigator with the Licking County coroner’s office, said they were called to the scene but deferred other questions to state police.
The American Red Cross of Central and Southern Ohio said it responded to a request for more blood from an area hospital and sent 30 units to a hospital in the Mount Carmel Health System, said Marita Salkowski, regional communications director.
A center has been set up at a United Methodist church on Etna where bus passengers who do not need medical attention can visit and contact their relatives, she said.