Video: 16 Involved in Pickens County Bus Crash

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PICKENS COUNTY, Alabama (WCBI) — A Pickens County school bus crashed with an SUV in Ethelsville.

But despite the scene we can report , there are no fatalities at this point.

Teachers, neighbors, and family members gathered on the side of Hwy 82 waiting for answers, with knowledge of an accident involving their children, and nothing else.

County Road 35 was barricaded, with only the sounds of choppers and sirens coming from the area, so they watched and prayed, and waited for answers.

“One of our bus drivers is a pastor, one of our neighbors, she’s a teacher at another school, she came out to pray with us, ” says Reform Elementary Teacher Karla Owen.

Rescue officials from Mississippi and Alabama spent more than two hours, working to clear this scene.

Trooper Reginald King with the Alabama Highway Patrol explains.

” All 16 indivduals were transported to treatment facilities, that imnclude UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, Pickens County Medical Center and Carollton Baptist Memorial in Columbus Mississippi.” says Trooper King.

Transported by air, and by ambulance, all 16 were examined and treated. Some were released, others remain in serious condition at UAB Hospital.

Despite the severity of this crash, Pickens County Superintendent Jamie Chapman says it could have been much worse.

“We would just like everyone to be in prayer for our students and the families involved in this terrible accident.”

And those prayers will continue, from a community that loves their children.

“We love our kids, this is a family oriented community, Reform Elementary is probably one of the best kept secrets in this whole county and one things for sure, we love our kids,” says Owen.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation.