Six killed and EIGHTEEN injured when a semi truck plows into Ohio school bus carrying 57 people on I70 – sparking huge fire

Six people were killed and 18 injured after a school bus and a truck collided on an Ohio highway Tuesday morning.

Five vehicles were involved in the crash, which occurred shortly before 9 a.m. on Interstate 70 West in Licking County, near the Smoke Road underpass.

The truck crashed into the back of the bus, causing a huge fire and completely destroying the truck.

Sean Grady, director of the Licking County Emergency Management Agency, said the charter bus was transporting students from a school in eastern Ohio. There were a total of 57 people on board, he said.

Images from the scene show the back of the bus completely engulfed in flames.

Fifteen of the 18 injured are believed to be juveniles, and Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools said there may have been “serious injuries” among the students.

Sean Grady, director of the Licking County Emergency Management Agency, said the charter bus, engulfed in flames here, was transporting students from a school in eastern Ohio

At least three people were killed and 15 injured in the incident early Tuesday morning

Images from the scene show the back of the bus completely engulfed in flames

Other footage captured by traffic cameras and shared by the Ohio Department of Transportation shows emergency response at the scene.

Thick plumes of smoke are coming from the two vehicles as emergency services work on the scene.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said his prayers go out to everyone involved in the crash and their families and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff.

“This is our worst nightmare when we have a bus full of children involved in an accident and it is certainly the worst nightmare that families can go through or a school can go through,” he said.

He said the investigation into the crash will continue for some time. By 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, the eastbound highway had reopened, but the westbound highway remained closed.

The bus was transporting students and chaperones from Tuscarawas Valley to an Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus, Superintendent Derek Varansky said.

In a post on Facebook, Varansky said, “Today a charter bus carrying Tusky Valley students and chaperones en route to the Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus was involved in a very serious accident.

‘We understand from police that there may be several serious injuries and we are working to find out the details.

‘We will share as much news with you as possible, including our plans for upcoming school days and events.

“Right now, our focus is on connecting with our Tusky Valley families who had loved ones on the bus and providing support to our entire school community.

“Our Trojan family is strong, and that strength and love will be needed to get through the challenging days ahead.”

Images captured by 10TV shows the rear of the bus being hit by the worst of the flames, while the semi-truck was completely decimated.

Dozens of emergency responders from across Licking County and eastern Franklin County were dispatched to the area after a report of a crash

Scanner traffic showed a tractor-trailer hitting a commercial bus carrying dozens of passengers

A public safety alert was issued to drivers in the area of ​​the crash, noting the closure would last several hours

A witness told it ABC-6′s Kate Siefert on the scene that her 10-year-old granddaughter was very upset.

“They said they saw a firefighter enter the burning bus just before it exploded.”

The bus involved in the accident belongs to Pioneer Trails, a family-owned business that has been operating out of Millersburg for 40 years. The Columbus Dispatch reported.

Pioneer Trails said in a statement that the company is “fully cooperating with authorities as we work to determine the cause of the accident” and is praying for the victims and their families.

The Ohio Department of Transportation said the estimated duration of how long the road will be closed is unknown at this time

Mickey Lymon, an investigator with the Licking County Coroner’s Office, said they were called to the scene but deferred other questions to state police.

The American Red Cross of Central and Southern Ohio said it has fulfilled a request for more blood from one area hospital by sending 30 units to a hospital in the Mount Carmel Health System, said Marita Salkowski, regional director communication.

A center was set up at a United Methodist Church in Etna where bus passengers who did not need medical attention could visit and connect with their loved ones, she said.