LICKING COUNTY — UPDATE @ 7 p.m.:
Six people are dead, including 3 students, after a fiery bus crash on I-70 in Licking County Tuesday morning.
The crash occurred shortly before 9 a.m. and involved a charter bus, two commercial vehicles, and two passenger vehicles, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
An initial investigation found that the vehicles were traveling westbound on I-70 when the chain reaction crash happened.
At least three of the vehicles also caught fire as a result of the crash.
A Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools charter bus was occupied by 54 students and chaperons.
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Three of the passengers on the bus, identified as John W. Mosely, 18, Jeffery D. Worrell, 18, and Katelyn N. Owens, 15, were pronounced dead at the scene.
One of the passenger vehicles had three people inside, Dave Kennat, 56, Kristy Gaynor, 39, and Shannon Wigfield, 45, all three were also pronounced dead at the scene.
This vehicle was an SUV that was following behind the bus, according to the district.
Kennant was a high school teacher for the district, while Wigfield and Gaynor were parents.
A total of 15 students and the bus driver were taken to area hospitals.
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The driver of one of the commercial vehicles and a passenger of the other passenger vehicle involved in the crash were also taken to the hospital.
“Right now, our focus is on getting in touch with our Tusky Valley families who had loved ones on the bus and providing support to our entire school community. Our Trojan family is strong, and it will take that strength and love to get throughout these coming challenging days,” Superintendent Dr. Derek Varansky wrote in part.
The school announced there would be a prayer vigil Tuesday night at their stadium.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a press conference he spoke with parents and students from the district at a reunification site. DeWine called the community a small, tight-knit place in northeastern Ohio.
“It’s the worst nightmare for the families. It’s the worst nightmare for the teachers. Our hearts go out the them,” DeWine told News Center 7′s Mike Campbell who was the only Dayton area reporter on the scene throughout the day.
Late Tuesday afternoon, the National Transportation Safety Board announced they would be sending a team to conduct a safety investigation into the crash.
The crash remains under investigation, anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact the Ohio State Highway Patrol at (614) 466-2660.