Editor’s Note: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools initially reported that 40 students were on board the bus at the time of the crash. They have since clarified that information and now say 15 students were on the school bus.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WJZY) — A school bus carrying students was involved in a head-on crash in North Carolina on Wednesday morning, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
CMS officials said the school bus, which was headed to South Mecklenburg High School, crashed head-on with a dump truck in south Charlotte.
The bus was carrying 15 students. Fourteen of them were taken to the hospital with injuries. One student refused to be transported, according to CMS.
The bus driver was also confirmed to have suffered injuries, officials said. None of the students’ injuries were life-threatening.
Images from the scene showed severe damage to the front of the bus.
Emergency officials reported that 17 people in total were hurt. One person had life-threatening injuries and another suffered serious injuries.
Total hospital transport breakdown:
- One student refused to be taken to the hospital
- Two adults were transported to CMC Main in Uptown Charlotte
- Eight students were transported to CMC Main
- Six students were transported to Novant Presbyterian
Atrium Health officials said that none of the students or adult patients had been discharged from CMC Main or the Levine Children’s Hospital as of 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Charlotte Fire officials said it took an hour to free the driver of the dump truck from the vehicle. The bus driver was freed in 30 minutes.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
