By Christopher Leach, Rick Childress, Valarie Honeycutt Spears
Lexington Herald-Leader
MAGOFFIN COUTNY, Ky. — Five people, including four children, suffered serious injuries as a result of a bus crash in Eastern Kentucky Monday morning, according to Magoffin County Judge-Executive Matt Wireman.
The accident happened at approximately 7:30 a.m. Monday on Route 40, according to Wireman. The bus went over an embankment.
Wireman initially said there were 22 people on board the bus, but the Magoffin County School District said in a statement that the bus had 18 students and the driver on board.
Four students and the bus driver are in serious or critical condition, Wireman told the Herald-Leader.
“As of the time of this statement, there are no reported fatalities, but the students and driver have varying degrees of injuries,” the school district said in a statement. “They have been transported by ambulance or helicopter to regional hospitals. The district would like to thank everyone that extended a helping hand at the scene of the accident. Please keep all families in your thoughts and prayers.”
Three people – two students and the bus driver – had to be flown from the scene, according to Wireman.
One injured person was flown to Pikeville Medical Center, said Magoffin County Emergency Management Director Robert Prater. Two more were driven via ambulance to the Appalachian Regional Healthcare facility in Paintsville and were flown to another hospital from there.
Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed the accident in a tweet, saying, “Kentucky, we have some tough news. There has been a serious bus accident in Magoffin County involving children.”
https://twitter.com/McConnellPress/status/1592195880467267590?s=20&t=1qSPz95ujhVinBDH2ofA4g
Beshear said Kentucky State Police is on scene and “we are responding swiftly.”
Trooper Michael Coleman with state police said the road will be shut down for several more hours while collision reconstruction experts investigate the scene.
The Salyersville Independent in Magoffin County reported that the bus driver was partially stuck under the bus after being ejected from the vehicle when the crash happened.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
___
©2022 Lexington Herald-Leader.
Visit kentucky.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.