BEMIDJI, Minn. – A driver ran a stop sign and hit a school bus filled with elementary students, sending the bus into a ditch where it rested on its side.
One student was airlifted and five others left the scene in ambulances, reports The Bemidji Pioneer.
Sanford Bemidji Medical Center told The Bemidji Pioneer that a hotline has been set up for parents to call for information. The number is (218) 333-6040. All students involved in the crash will be transported to the center for evaluation regardless of the severity of their injuries. Once cleared they will be transported to their schools.
The car was heading east on South Movil Lake Road, when it ran the stop sign and hit the bus which was heading south on Irvine Avenue Northwest. The driver of the car sustained serious injuries.
The Bemidji Pioneer reports that the bus in question was Bemidji School District Bus No. 25. School district staff said the bus was headed for Northern Elementary. Students on board were mostly from Red Lake Nation.
First responders on the scene used hatches and the rear entrance to remove students from the bus, reports The Bemidji Pioneer. While some students required more serious medical attention, most of the students sustained only minor injuries.