22 students sent to hospitals after school buses crash at bus stop in New Jersey

Two school buses crashed at a bus stop Monday morning, injuring 22 children, a school official said.

The elementary-age children were being checked at four hospitals, but none of their injuries appeared to be serious, said Superintendent Ralph Ferrie.

More than two dozen children were aboard the buses when they crashed shortly before 9 a.m. Those who weren't sent to hospitals were taken to Brookside Elementary School, where nurses and other district personnel were assessing their health and emotions, Ferrie said.

He declined to comment on the cause of the crash until a police report is completed. Police officials did not immediately return calls seeking further information.

It appeared that one bus missed the stop and braked quickly, and that the other bus hit it from behind, Bernadette Kulakovich told The Star-Ledger of Newark. She had been waiting at the stop with her twin 10-year-old daughters when the accident happened.

The buses were taking children ages 5 through 12 to the Barclay Brook and Brookside schools.