Children feared dead in school bus crash

A number of children were feared dead tonight after a school bus overturned in Meath, gardaí said.

Forty youngsters were on the bus when the accident happened.

Gardaí, fire brigade crew and ambulances attended the scene in Kentstown, on the road between Navan and Duleek near Casey’s Cross.

A Bus Éireann spokeswoman said its accident investigators were attending the scene.

The local fire station in Navan was notified of the accident shortly before 5pm and up to a dozen ambulances were sent to the scene.

A Garda spokesman said there are fears of fatalities

A number of children were trapped in the wreckage of the bus, gardaí said in statement.

“The collision involved a number of vehicles including a school bus,” the statement said.

“A number of children were trapped on the bus as a result of the collision and gardaí and emergency services continue to work at the scene.”

It is understood the bus was packed with pupils from four secondary schools in the Navan area when the accident happened at 4pm.

The Navan to Kentstown road is expected to be closed for several hours.