Several students and a bus driver in West Virginia were taken to a hospital early Wednesday morning following a single-vehicle crash.
WCHS-TV reported the crash happened at around 7:30 a.m. ET in Putnam County in the eastern part of the state while the children were en route to school.
Injuries suffered after Putnam County bus wreckhttps://t.co/MTYpJC0fKZ
— 104.5 FM | 96.5 FM | 580 AM WCHS (@580WCHS) April 10, 2024
According to the network, the bus struck a tree near the community of Eleanor.
In total, nine elementary and middle school-aged students were transported to a local hospital, most with minor injuries.
Sheriff Bobby Eggleton says 5 kids and the driver taken to the hospital. It’s believed the driver had a medical emergency. https://t.co/Y8Sh78eH5O
— Leslie Rubin (@LeslieRubinWCHS) April 10, 2024
Parents of the 25 children on the bus were all notified of the crash, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
The driver, who was also hospitalized, is believed to have suffered a serious medical emergency before the bus left the roadway.
The condition of the driver was not released.
Putnam County Sheriff Bobby Eggleton told WSAZ-TV that Roosevelt Boulevard, a major thoroughfare in the area that the bus was traveling on, was closed due to the accident.
Sheriff Eggleton also issued a statement about the crash on social media.
“At approximately 0729hrs emergency personnel respond to Roosevelt Blvd. regarding a school bus accident,” Eggleton said in a statement on Facebook.
“Upon arrival, first responders immediately provided first aid to all occupants of the school bus,” the sheriff added. “At the time of this post, only minor injuries have been reported.”
Eggleton concluded:
“Please be patient as first responders are still on scene and the road will be shut down so accident investigators can complete a thorough investigation. We appreciate the public’s patience and appreciate all the first responders who provided a quick response and caring service to all involved.”
The sheriff’s office later told WCHS that one of the injured children is now listed in serious condition and will have to undergo surgery for injuries sustained in the crash.
Eleanor is located on the northern side of the Kanawha River, about a 30-minute drive from Charleston.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
