Chester County, SC – A tragic incident unfolded Thursday afternoon as a school bus, carrying students on their way back from a field trip, met with a severe accident on Interstate 77 in Chester County, resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries. The bus, one of the three vehicles returning from a trip organized by Pine Ridge Middle School, suffered a tire blowout which led to the crash.
The accident prompted a swift response from Chester County emergency services after being alerted around 1:47 p.m. According to officials, the affected bus went off the road to the right, collided with a guardrail, and overturned, leading to chaotic scenes and urgent rescue efforts.
Among the passengers, three adults and approximately 35 students from Pine Ridge Middle School were reported to be on the bus during the incident. The two other buses in the caravan were not involved in the accident. Responding officers and medical personnel rushed to provide aid, and many of the injured were transported to hospitals for treatment.
Witness accounts from the scene described a distressing situation. Wesley Willis, an eighth grader, recounted the immediate aftermath, noting that students and teachers alike were screaming, with teachers striving to assist students trapped or injured in the overturned bus.
The severity of the injuries varied among those involved, with some children and at least one teacher requiring hospitalization for serious injuries. The teacher, initially stabilized at the scene, was later airlifted to receive further medical treatment.
In the wake of the incident, local and state authorities expressed their condolences and called for community support. State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver issued a statement expressing deep sorrow over the accident, highlighting the collective mourning of the Pine Ridge Middle School community and the state at large.
Governor Henry McMaster also reflected on the severity of the situation and extended his sympathies to the affected families. “Today’s school bus accident in Chester County is a tragedy no family should ever have to endure. Peggy and I are heartbroken,” he said, urging people across the state to keep the victims, their families, and the school community in their thoughts.
In support of the families, a reunification center was established behind a Shell gas station in Blackstock, where parents and students gathered to reconnect in the aftermath of the accident.
As this community begins to process this catastrophic event and search for ways to heal, the South Carolina Highway Patrol has taken the lead on investigating the specifics of the crash. This includes examining the bus’s safety standards and the initial cause of the tire blowout, as officials look to prevent such accidents in the future.
The focus now turns to supporting the young victims’ recovery and providing the necessary resources to aid their physical and emotional healing, as a grieving community comes together in solidarity.