Three people, including two children, were killed and at least 27 were injured after two school buses collided on a highway in Knoxville, Tennessee on Tuesday.

According to the initial report, one bus had made a sharp turn, crossed over to the opposite lane and crashed onto the second bus, which had slid and turned over on its side. The two buses had been plying the Asheville Highway around 2:50 p.m. when the crash occurred.

Like Us on Facebook

One bus was on its way to take home children of the Sunnyview Primary School, which serves nursery to second grade, while the other was carrying Chilhowee Intermediate School students, which serves third to fifth grade, said Knox County Schools spokesperson Amanda Johnson.

It was not immediately clear which of the buses had crossed onto the opposite lane.

Firefighters first on the scene immediately rushed the children off the buses. Three police cars arrived shortly after even as locals got out of their cars to offer assistance, said witness Karla Corona.

Knoxville police captain David Rausch said two children, in third grade and below, and one adult had been killed from the crash. The adult was a teacher's aide, Rausch added.

Seven of those injured treated at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, three of whom had already been discharged on Tuesday night. Rausch said the three who were critically wounded from the crash were in stable condition.

Twenty children who sustained injuries from the crash had been brought to the East Tennessee Children's Hospital for treatment. None of the injuries had been life-threatening, according to hospital spokesperson Erica Estep.

Classes for both schools were suspended on Wednesday although counseling will be offered to the students and relatives of those involved in the Tennessee crash, which local county school superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre described as an "unspeakable tragedy."

TagsTennessee, school bus crash, students, children, Knoxville, Knox county school, Tennessee bus crash