The driver and 18 students were sent to hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to severe after a school bus overturned and landed on its side in rural Kentucky early on Monday.
When the accident happened on a state highway close to Salyersville in eastern Kentucky, students from elementary school through high school were on board the bus on their way to classrooms, according to Chris Meadows, the superintendent of Magoffin County Schools.
There were no other automobiles present.
At an afternoon news conference, Meadows described a range of injuries, from minor to critical, and mentioned the conflicting feelings that followed the collision throughout the school district. He noted that despite the calm and depressing atmosphere, authorities are grateful that no fatalities have been as of yet.
Meadows remarked that “all of these families, these students, and this driver” were “in our thoughts and prayers” and added that authorities were keeping in touch with the families and doing everything they could to assist them.
According to Salyersville Fire Chief Paul Howard, when emergency personnel arrived, some of the students had already climbed the embankment while others needed assistance ascending it.
Kentucky State Police were on the scene, according to a tweet from Governor Andy Beshear, who added, “We are responding immediately.”
According to state trooper Michael Coleman, the bus left state Route 40 close to Salyersville and crossed an embankment.
What caused the crash was not immediately apparent. Coleman stated that the inquiry was only getting started and that it would take some time for the route to reopen.
According to officials, several injured people were helicoptered out of the accident while others were transported by ambulances and private automobiles. The most recent conditions weren’t immediately accessible.
Although the installation of a guard rail in the vicinity of the accident has been discussed, Magoffin Judge Executive Matt Wireman indicated that obstacles due to water and sewer pipes under the road have made progress difficult.
Over the years, he claimed, numerous collisions have been reported in the vicinity.
He explained, “That’s normal in any rural location where there are a lot of curving roads.
Meadows claimed that there were no seatbelts on the school bus.
After concluding its investigation into a 2020 accident in Tennessee that claimed the lives of the driver and a 7-year-old girl, the National Transportation Safety Board repeated its plea earlier this month for the installation of seat belts on school buses.
State and local officials joined U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul in praying for the affected families.
