A 14-year-old girl has died after the minibus she and her schoolmates were travelling in during an art trip was involved in a serious accident with a bin lorry.
A second teenage girl has been taken to hospital with minor injuries following the collision on Friday and several others were treated at the scene, emergency services said.
The bus was carrying 21 students from year 9 and year 12 and three teachers from John Taylor high school in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.
An ambulance spokesman said the girl who died “suffered serious injuries in the collision and unfortunately it immediately became apparent that nothing could be done to save her and she was confirmed dead at the scene”.
West Midlands police said the crash had happened at about 9am in the Castle Vale area in the north-east of Birmingham.
The school said it was unsure of details and was “awaiting confirmation from the authorities”.
Police said emergency services were at the scene of the collision. The Birmingham Mail reported that a cordon had been set up and that a small minibus, with green tarpaulin over its side windows, and a bin lorry were visible inside it.
Year 9 pupils are aged 13 and 14 and year 12 pupils 16 and 17. “We are working to support those directly affected. Please support us by not ringing into school as this closes our lines,” the school said.
West Midlands ambulance service said it had “a large number of resources” on the scene on the busy A38 Kingsbury Road in Birmingham.
West Midlands police said that both drivers were assisting officers with their investigation into the circumstances of the crash.
Supt Dean Hatton said: “This is a tragic incident which has resulted in the death of a pupil from the school.
“The family of the teenage girl has been informed and they are being supported by officers from our family liaison unit.
“We are also in contact with the school and our colleagues at Staffordshire police, who are understandably devastated as this occurred while their students were on a school trip.”
