PERRY COUNTY — Four children and their bus driver were injured Thursday in a crash involving a semi-truck and their school bus on U.S. 51 north of DuQuoin.

According to Illinois State Police, around 3:10 p.m. troopers responded to the scene and learned that a semi with a flatbed trailer was stopped on U.S. 51 southbound waiting to turn east onto Kimmel Road.

For an unknown reason, the school bus failed to avoid the semi and its trailer and the front driver side struck the rear passenger side of the flatbed trailer.

The bus driver and four students from St. Bruno Catholic School in Pinckneyville were transported to area hospitals with varying injuries.
Eleven other students were uninjured.

There were a total of 15 students on the bus. The semi-driver was not injured. All the children were accounted for and reunited with their guardians.

U.S. 51 was shut down for investigation. Motorists were urged to seek other routes. The roadway has since reopened.

ISP says the crash investigation is active and ongoing. No further information is available.