2 dead, several injured when school bus overturns in Houston

HOUSTON –  Two students are dead and three other people are injured after a school bus plunged from a Houston overpass Tuesday morning.

The first student died of her injuries at the scene of the crash, while the other died later at the hospital, according to a posting on the Houston Independent School District's blog.

Two other students and the bus driver have been taken to an area hospital. The extent of their injuries is unknown.


The bus was carrying four students and the driver and was bound for Furr High School when it nose dived from an overpass onto the road below at about 7 a.m., witnesses and firefighters at the scene told KHOU. The bus landed at the 610 Loop and Telephone Road.

Furr High School is also the location for the REACH Charter High School. It is not yet known which school the students attended.

Images from the scene show the wrecked school bus on its side, with vehicle pieces scattered nearby.
The accident is currently being investigated. The bus driver had been with the district for about three years and had a clean driving record, according to the HISD blog. The bus last underwent a maintenance inspection in June.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy,” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said. “I ask all of the HISD community to join me in praying for all of those involved.”

Houston operates the largest public school district in Texas with about 215,000 students.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.