At Least 6 Dead, 23 Injured in Elementary School Bus Crash in Chattanooga, Tenn.

At least six students are dead and 23 more have been injured after a school bus crashed in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Monday. WDEF reports that 35 students were on the bus from Woodmore Elementary school when it crashed.

Parents in Hamilton County, Tenn., received the following text message from the school district:

We just wanted to inform you that Hamilton County schools faced a great tragedy today. School and county personnel are on scene of a bus accident on Tally Road in Chattanooga. Extra counselors and support staff will be on hand to help students process this horrible incident.

According to ABC13, Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston confirmed that five victims died at the scene and one died after being transported to the hospital. Chattanooga Police Assistant Chief Tracy Arnold said officials would not identify the names or ages of the students who died until parents were notified, but did confirm that 23 students had been transported to hospitals.

Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher said that the bus was the only vehicle involved in the accident.

“Our hearts go out, as well as the hearts of all these people behind me, to the families, the neighborhood, the school, for all the people involved in this; we assure you we are doing everything we can,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher said that police were interviewing the bus driver to try to determine what caused the accident.

Read more at WDEF and ABC13.