1 dead, several injured after school bus crash in B.C.'s Cariboo

One person is deadand several others are injured after a school bus crashnorth of Lac La HacheFriday afternoon.

B.C. Highway Patrol Cpl. Melissa Jongemasaid 100 Mile House RCMP were called to a bus crash on the highwayat Butler Road at about 1 p.m. PT.

In an emailed statement, the B.C. Highway Patrol later said the bus was travelling on Highway 97 when it went off the road anddown an embankment.

A photo posted to the Facebook group Williams Lake Speak Up appears to show a yellow school bus down an embankment along the highway.

Police said the crash was followed by a second collision in whicha pedestrian was struck by a vehicle at the same location. They said despite the life-saving efforts of first responders,the person died.

In an email to CBC News, B.C. Emergency Health Services spokespersonBrian Twaites said 11 ambulances and seven air ambulances were sent to the scene, along with local firefighters and police.

B.C. Emergency Health Services says paramedicsprovided care to 36 patients. Seven patients were takento hospital byambulanceand seven were transported byair ambulance.

Students on a field trip

Students on the bus were in grades 6 and 7 from100 Mile Elementary and Horse Lake Elementary, on the way home from a field trip to Gavin Lake, according to Chris van der Mark, thesuperintendent oftheCariboo-ChilcotinSchool District.

He said the school district is working with police to ensure the parents and guardians of the students on the bus are informed.Parents were told to meet their kids at the South Cariboo Recreation Centre in 100 Mile House, van der Mark said.

"Our biggest focus right now is just making sure that our staff and our students are OK," he told CBCNews on Friday afternoon.

LISTEN:Inside the responseto theLac La Hache bus crash:

Radio West7:14Emergency crews respond to a school bus crash in the Cariboo near Lac La Hache

Emergency crews respond to a school bus crash in the Cariboo near Lac La Hache. We speak to a witness who got turned around as Highway 97 was shut down.

Cindy Marcotte said shewas driving home to Prince George when she was caught in stopped trafficafter the crash.

"I just feel sick for the families.I hope the kids are OK," she said. "As a parent and a grandparent, it's a terrible thing to be close to something this awful."

The highway reopened late Friday night.