A charter bus carrying students from a high school was rear-ended by a semitruck on an Ohio highway Tuesday, leaving six people dead and at least 18 others injured, according to officials.

The charter bus was transporting students from a school in eastern Ohio, Licking County Emergency Management Agency Director Sean Grady said. There were a total of 57 people onboard, he said. Students from Tuscarawas Valley were traveling with chaperones to the Ohio School Boards Association conference, which was being held about 100 miles west in Columbus, according to Derek Varansky, the superintendent of the Tuscarawas Valley School District.

The accident occurred shortly before 9 a.m. on Interstate 70 West in Licking County, near the Smoke Road underpass. The cause was not immediately known. Ohio State Patrol said in a news release that the chain-reaction crash involved two commercial vehicles and two passenger vehicles, along with the charter bus. At least three of the vehicles caught fire. 

Three students aboard the bus died at the scene, state patrol said. They were identified as John W. Mosely and Jeffery D. Worrell, both age 18, and 15-year-old Katelyn N. Owens.

"I have devastating and heartbreaking news to report. Today, a charter bus carrying Tusky Valley students and chaperones on the way to the Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus was involved in a very serious accident. We understand from law enforcement that there may be multiple serious injuries and we are working to learn the details," wrote Varansky in a letter shared on social media Tuesday morning and addressed to the school community.

Three adults in one of the passenger vehicles also died at the scene, highway patrol reported. They were identified as 56-year-old Dave Kennat, 39-year-old Kristy Gaynor and 45-year-old Shannon Wigfield.

At least 18 others were injured were being treated at area hospitals, state patrol reported, including 15 students and the charter bus driver, along with two other drivers. 

The driver of the one of the commercial vehicles was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while the driver of one of the passenger vehicles was hospitalized in unknown condition, highway patrol said.

Numerous emergency responders were at the scene, and Ohio Department of Transportation cameras from the area showed smoke coming from the crash site. The highway was closed in both directions and numerous traffic delays were being reported.

Mickey Lymon, an investigator with the Licking County Coroner's Office, said they had been called to the scene, but deferred other questions to the state police.

The NTSB said it is sending a team to the crash site to conduct a safety investigation, with the team, including NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, expected to arrive Tuesday evening. 

Rep. Troy Balderson, of Ohio, responded to the accident tweeted on X, formerly Twitter. "I am devastated to hear about the terrible crash on I-70 involving a semitruck and a bus carrying students. My prayers are with all those involved, and I will continue to closely monitor the situation," Balderson wrote.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine similarly offered prayers to those involved.

"It is our worst nightmare to have a bus full of children involved in such a terrible crash, and it is certainly the worst nightmare that families and schools can endure," he wrote on X.

DeWine ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in the county and at the Ohio Statehouse.

The eastbound side of the highway had reopened Tuesday evening, but the westbound lanes remained closed.

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