Two students were killed and several others injured after a school bus collided with multiple vehicles in a traffic accident in western Tennessee on Friday. The crash happened around noon on Highway 70 in Carroll County and involved a school bus, a Chevrolet Trailblazer and a Tennessee Department of Transportation dump truck, the Associated Press reports.Officials said preliminary findings suggest the dump truck was present at the scene, but likely did not directly contribute to the collision.

students were on tour

The bus was carrying 25 students and five adults from Kenwood Middle School in Clarksville. The group was headed to Jackson, Tennessee, for a field trip when the accident occurred, according to a statement from the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.Officials are still investigating the exact cause of the accident.

Casualties and Injuries

During a press conference, Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman Major Travis Plotzer confirmed the deaths of the two students, and described the incident as “a parent’s worst nightmare.”At least seven other people were injured, with several victims being airlifted to nearby hospitals. Four people were taken to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville and were reported to be in stable condition.Additionally, 19 people were taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Carroll County, where they were evaluated and later released. It is not clear how many of them were seriously injured.

School community in shock

This tragedy has saddened the school community. Principal Karen Miller called the incident an “unimaginable tragedy” in a message to families and urged parents to support their children emotionally during this difficult time.Counseling services will be made available to students and staff from Monday.In his message, Miller appealed for unity and compassion, saying, “Please continue to pray with us for our students, families, faculty and staff.”She said the strength of the school community will be vital in helping everyone cope with loss and trauma.Authorities are continuing to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the crash. More details are expected as the investigation progresses.