7 elementary school students injured after North Carolina school bus veers off highway, hits building

Seven elementary school students were injured after a North Carolina school bus veered off a highway and hit a building on Thursday morning. 

A public information officer for the Alamance-Burlington School System said the bus was transporting 18 students to B. Everett Jordan Elementary School in Graham, North Carolina. The bus was traveling along Highway 87 when the crash occurred at around 7:20 a.m. local time.

All of the students were transported to local hospitals, either Chapel Hill UNC or the Alamance Regional Medical Center, Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson told CBS affiliate WFMY. Six students were taken by ambulance. One student was driven to the hospital by their parents, the school district said.  All of the students have non-life-threatening injuries, the school district said.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the driver of the bus had minor injuries. WFMY reported that the bus driver was not transported to a hospital. 

Graham is about 35 miles west of Durham, North Carolina.

"There was no real, real, real serious injuries," Johnson told WFMY. "Of course, any injury is serious to a kid." 

The North Carolina Highway Patrol said the bus veered to the right and hit a concrete culvert, then continued off the roadway until hitting the building. WFMY reported that the building was Lloyd Septic, a local septic company, and that the owners and operators of the company came out and comforted the children after the crash.

Johnson speculated that the impact of the bus hitting the building had caused the injuries. 

The crash will be investigated by the state highway patrol. Other emergency responders included the Alamance County Sheriff, Alamance County and Orange County EMS, and the area fire department. 

"Obviously, our top priority today is the health and recovery of the students," said the school district in a statement. "We also have additional support at the school today for students and staff." 

In:
• School Bus
• School Bus Accident
• North Carolina
• Bus Crash

Kerry Breen

Kerry Breen is a news editor and reporter for CBS News. Her reporting focuses on current events, breaking news and substance use.