A school bus carrying dozens of elementary school students slid off the road and into a ditch Monday morning but no children were seriously hurt, Harrison County authorities said.
The bus slipped into the ditch sometime before 8 a.m. on Coleman Road near the Sam’s Club off Highway 49, Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputy Hanna Hendry said.
The bus was carrying 56 students to Orange Grove Elementary and Harrison Central Elementary, the Harrison County School District said Monday afternoon. The Sheriff’s Office estimated Monday morning that about 18 children were on board the bus, but the school district clarified Monday afternoon that the number of passengers was much higher.
“We are thankful to report that there were no serious injuries in the bus incident that occurred this morning,” Superintendent William Bentz said in a statement.
Three students were checked for minor injuries and are “undergoing further evaluation,” authorities said.
Parents arrived early Monday to pick up their children from the crash site, Hendry said. No serious injuries were reported. The driver was also not hurt.
The bus was towed Monday morning and traffic cleared in the area, Hendry said.
Trang Pham-Bui, a spokesperson for the Harrison County School District, said Monday morning that at least one school district official was on the scene.
“First responders and school district officials acted promptly to ensure everyone was accounted for and received any necessary assistance,” Bentz said in the statement. “As always, our top priority is the safety and well-being of our students and staff.”
Hendry said it was not immediately clear what caused the bus to slide off the road.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Source Agencies
