HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — A school bus carrying middle school students on a field trip crashed Friday in Carroll County, killing two students and injuring at least seven others, authorities said.
The crash occurred around noon on Highway 70 near Cedar Grove when the Montgomery County Schools bus collided with a Tennessee Department of Transportation dump truck and a Chevrolet Trailblazer. The bus was transporting 25 students and five adults from Kenwood Middle School in Clarksville to Jackson for a field trip. The two students who died were among those on board, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.
Several injured students were airlifted to trauma centers in the region, while others received treatment at local hospitals. The exact number of injuries and their severity remained under assessment by emergency responders. The conditions of the bus driver and the adults on board were not immediately detailed in preliminary reports.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the multi-vehicle collision. Officials have not released the names of the deceased students pending notification of their families. The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System issued a statement expressing condolences and said counseling services were being made available to students, staff and families.
School bus accidents involving students on field trips have drawn attention in recent years, with safety protocols including seat belt use and driver training under review in many districts. This incident occurred on a Friday during regular school hours as students headed to an educational outing.
As of Saturday, the highway patrol continued its investigation into the sequence of events leading to the crash. Cleanup operations at the scene were completed, and authorities urged motorists to use caution in the area. The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System planned further updates on support for the affected community and any adjustments to school activities.