A Florida school bus carrying nearly 40 people overturned after being struck by an oncoming car on the way to a high school early Monday, killing a student and the driver of another vehicle that caught fire, authorities said.
A heavy presence of emergency responders rushed to the crash site in Winter Haven, south of Orlando, and 26 students were transported to a hospital, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. At least one person was in critical condition.
The crash left the bus upside-down on the side of the road. The front end was a mangled mess of metal and one of its four back tires appeared to be missing.
“It was a horrible crash,” Judd said. “It was a terrible, tragic morning. We had a beautiful 10th grade girl lose her life.”
The bus was headed to Winter Haven High School when an oncoming car crossed the center line and struck the side of the bus near the rear wheels, Judd said. The sheriff said the impact ripped the tire off the bus, which then crashed head-on into an oncoming Jeep that caught fire.
Most of the 39 people aboard the bus were high school students, along with the bus driver and the driver's daughter. Judd said first responders spent the first several hours getting people to the hospital, identifying them and reuniting students with their parents.
“I think this is the most horrific bus tragedy we’ve had in decades, as far back as I can remember,” Judd said.
Officials didn't immediately report the condition of the driver of the car that hit the bus, but Judd said that person had been heading to work and was cooperating with investigators. They were not arrested or charged with a crime.
Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid said students practice drills on how to leave a bus that is involved in an accident. Last month, another Polk County school bus was also involved in a crash but authorities said no students were on board at the time.
“This event could have been far worse. You can see the condition of the bus, you can see its current positioning,” Heid said.
Justin Sharpless, chairman of the Polk County school board, asked the community to come together to support the family of the girl who died, as well as the school and school staff.
“There are really no words that can take away the pain of losing a young person,” he said.
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