NJ school bus collision leaves 2 dead, some critically hurt

The bus was from East Brook Middle School in Paramus, New Jersey.

ByEmily Shapiro and Josh Margolin
May 17, 2018, 8:01 PM

A child and a teacher were killed when a school bus full of fifth-graders collided with a dump truck and slammed off a New Jersey highway this morning, the governor said.

Two officials briefed on the crash told ABC News that authorities are investigating whether the school bus driver made illegal U-turn before the deadly crash.

Photos of the chaotic scene show the school bus on its side in the median of Route 80 near Mount Olive Township, which is about 50 miles west of New York City.

PHOTO: Emergency personnel work at the scene of a school bus and dump truck collision, injuring multiple people, on Interstate 80 in Mount Olive, N.J., on May 17, 2018.
Emergency personnel work at the scene of a school bus and dump truck collision, injuring multiple people, on Interstate 80 in Mount Olive, N.J., on May 17, 2018.
Seth Wenig/AP
PHOTO: Multiple injuries have been reported after a serious crash between a school bus carrying middle school students and a dump truck on a New Jersey highway, according to police, May 17, 2018.
Multiple injuries have been reported after a serious crash between a school bus carrying middle school students and a dump truck on a New Jersey highway, according to police, May 17, 2018.
Magdeline Bassett/Asbury Park Press via USA TODAY NETWORK
PHOTO: A locator map shows the location of a fatal school bus crash in Mt. Olive Township, N.J., May 17, 2018.
A locator map shows the location of a fatal school bus crash in Mt. Olive Township, N.J., May 17, 2018.
ABC News

The passengers -- 38 fifth-graders from East Brook Middle School in Paramus, New Jersey, and seven accompanying adults -- were on the way to a field trip at the time of the collision, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said at a news conference from the middle school.

Apart from the two who died, 43 people were injured and taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Some patients are in critical condition and undergoing surgery, Murphy said.

PHOTO: Emergency personnel work at the scene of a school bus and dump truck collision on Interstate 80 in Mount Olive, N.J., May 17, 2018.
Emergency personnel work at the scene of a school bus and dump truck collision on Interstate 80 in Mount Olive, N.J., May 17, 2018.
Ed Murray/NJ Advance Media via AP
PHOTO: Emergency crews respond to the scene where a school bus collided with a dump truck near Mount Olive Township, N.J., May, 17, 2018.
Emergency crews respond to the scene where a school bus collided with a dump truck near Mount Olive Township, N.J., May, 17, 2018.
WABC
PHOTO: Emergency crews respond to the scene where a school bus collided with a dump truck near Mount Olive Township, N.J., May, 17, 2018.
Emergency crews respond to the scene where a school bus collided with a dump truck near Mount Olive Township, N.J., May, 17, 2018.
WABC

Mount Olive Mayor Rob Greenbaum called the accident "horrific" in an interview with ABC New York station WABC-TV.

Multiple ambulances were on the scene and police said the crash closed Route 80 in both directions.

"Sixty-five years I have lived in this town. And it's difficult to stand here today to talk about our education community suffering so deeply," Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco said at the middle school news conference. "This community is strong. This community has an outstanding leader. And we're going to continue to move forward but also recognize and understand what happened to a teacher and a student today."

PHOTO: Vehicles stop at the scene where a school bus collided with a dump truck near Mount Olive Township, N.J., May 17, 2018.
Vehicles stop at the scene where a school bus collided with a dump truck near Mount Olive Township, N.J., May 17, 2018.
Obtained by ABC News
PHOTO: Emergency crews respond to the scene where a school bus collided with a dump truck near Mount Olive Township, N.J., May, 17, 2018.
Emergency crews respond to the scene where a school bus collided with a dump truck near Mount Olive Township, N.J., May, 17, 2018.
WABC
PHOTO: Multiple injuries have been reported after a serious crash between a school bus carrying middle school students and a dump truck on a New Jersey highway, May 17, 2018.
Multiple injuries have been reported after a serious crash between a school bus carrying middle school students and a dump truck on a New Jersey highway, May 17, 2018.
Magdeline Bassett/Asbury Park Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

"They came this morning to educate, to learn, and the other students and teachers that were on that bus were here to take care of them," Tedesco said, appearing emotional at times. "And as we stand here, our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to them as they recover in the hospital as the governor said. This community has been strong. It will continue to be strong. It will come together and support the entire education community."

PHOTO: Emergency crews respond to the scene of a crash between school bus carrying middle school students and dump truck on a New Jersey highway, May 17, 2018.
Emergency crews respond to the scene of a crash between school bus carrying middle school students and dump truck on a New Jersey highway, May 17, 2018.
Magdeline Bassett/Asbury Park Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

New Jersey State Police and the Morris County Prosecutor's Office are investigating the accident.

ABC News' Alex Faul and Fergal Gallagher contributed to this report.