1 dead, 7 injured after serious crash between converted school bus and vehicle in Leesburg

LEESBURG, Va. - An adult person has died after a crash in Loudoun County between a decommissioned school bus that has been converted into a food truck and a passenger vehicle, authorities say.

The accident happened at around 4:50 p.m. as the bus, which was traveling east on Watson Road, struck an Audi vehicle heading northbound on Evergreen Mills Road in Leesburg.

Firefighters worked for several hours to extricate two adults and three children trapped inside the Audi. One of the adults in this vehicle succumbed to their injuries. Loudoun County Assistant Fire Chief Keith Johnson said the other four victims suffered critical injuries and were transported by helicopter to a local trauma center.

Three people who were on the bus were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

"This has been a very difficult extrication," Johnson said. "We had to bring in a heavy wrecker unit to remove the bus from on top of the vehicle. Once we did that, we were able to gain access to the patients and begin to further extricate them from the vehicle."

The assistant fire chief said the trapped victims in the Audi were receiving medical care from paramedics at the scene as firefighters worked to remove them from the vehicle.

Evergreen Mills Road was shut down in both directions between Black Branch Parkway and Red Cedar Drive for the extrication and crash investigation. Watson Road is also closed at Waxwing Drive.