Nearly two dozen people were injured Saturday morning when a bus carrying a middle school football team crashed in western Pennsylvania, roughly 20 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.
Local police and EMS were called to the scene in Beaver County around 10 a.m., where crews quickly declared the crash a “mass casualty incident,” according to the Aliquippa Fire Department.
Of the 28 people onboard — including the driver, two coaches and 25 Aliquippa Jr. High School School students — 21 people were taken to area hospitals or trauma centers in the wake of the crash on Shaffer Road in Economy Borough.
One of the injured students was life flighted to Allegheny General, while 20 others were rushed to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, reported local NBC affiliate WPXI.
What exactly caused the crash was not clear as of Saturday afternoon, nor had the extent of the injuries been released.
Economy Police Chief Michael O’Brien said during a press conference that the team had been heading to Pine-Richland for a game.
“Just pray for our babies,” Mayor Dwan Walker said. “All we need is prayers and to make sure that they’re OK.”
According to a statement on the football team’s Facebook page, the players had all left the scene within roughly an hour of the crash and were being evaluated by medical personnel.
“Please take a moment to send a thought or prayer for each player or coach that was traveling this morning,” the statement said.
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