A tragic accident occurred in Texas on Friday when a school bus, carrying over 40 prekindergarten students from a field trip, collided with a concrete truck and rolled over, resulting in two fatalities, according to local authorities. The Texas Department of Public Safety’s Sgt. Deon Cockrell confirmed that another vehicle was also implicated in the accident, which took place in the suburbs of Austin. The identities of the victims and the vehicles they were in at the time of the crash remain unknown.
The school bus was returning from a field trip to a local zoo when the accident occurred, as reported by the Hays Consolidated Independent School District. The district referred to the incident as a “serious accident”. The exact number of injured individuals airlifted to nearby hospitals is yet to be confirmed by Sgt. Cockrell.
The bus was carrying 44 students and 11 adults at the time of the accident, according to a statement from the school district. The aftermath of the crash saw a significant presence of first responders and emergency vehicles along the highway, which is lined with trees. The bus was found upright but leaning to one side.
The impact of the collision was evident in the damage to the vehicles involved. The front top portion of the bus was severely crumpled, and another vehicle at the scene was largely destroyed. Personal belongings were scattered across the highway, painting a grim picture of the incident.
The students on the bus were from Tom Green Elementary School in Buda, a town located approximately 16 miles southwest of Austin. The school district promptly informed the parents of the students involved in the accident and is currently working to reunite them.