School bus crashes into S Carolina store; 8 sent to hospital

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — A school bus crashed into a store in South Carolina on Tuesday, hitting one student outside and sending the driver and four students on board to the hospital, authorities said.

The front of the school bus was inside the brick building up to its windshield and the rear emergency door of the bus was open in TV footage from the scene.

The bus was carrying eight elementary students to North Charleston Creative Arts Elementary School when it slammed into the Neighbor Store around 7:45 a.m. Tuesday, North Charleston Assistant Fire Chief Christan Rainey told reporters.

The store, which was closed at the time, serves as a bus stop for high school students. One student waiting for the bus was hit and two others were struck by debris, Rainey said.

Officials have not released conditions for any of the students or the driver taken to the hospital.

Police are investigating the crash and have not said what might have led to the wreck.