MINOT — A bus taking students to Minot Consolidated School Tuesday morning drove into a ditch, injuring a number of students, none seriously, according to school officials.

Amy Hediger, Regional School Unit 16 superintendent, issued a letter to parents shortly after the incident confirming that Bus 1 went off Shaw Hill Road about a half-mile from the school at about 8 a.m.

“Several children sustained injuries, and first responders, including United Ambulance and Minot Fire and Rescue, were on the scene immediately to assess and care for the students. Families of those students are being contacted directly,” according to the letter, which provided few additional details.

In a note to parents issued Tuesday afternoon, Hediger said that following the accident, the 43 students on the bus remained there while three paramedics boarded the bus to assess conditions and provide treatment. They were then transferred to another bus and brought to school, where “Emergency Services conducted further evaluations,” Hediger said.

“Sixteen students were evaluated for minor injuries. No students required transportation by ambulance. Students were checked a third and fourth time throughout the day by school staff. United Ambulance returned in the afternoon as a precaution to recheck any students who stayed at school before school dismissal,” she said.

Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson said the circumstances of the crash were straightforward at the scene.

“The driver went off the soft shoulder, got dragged in a little and hit a culvert,” Samson said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

Hediger’s second note detailed how the department notified parents, stating, “Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Wielki first reached out to families of students who reported injuries. Afterward, they contacted the remaining Green Bus families to provide updates. Mrs. Simard was available to answer incoming calls.”

In a portion of her note expressing gratitude to the Emergency Response Team, school staff and families, Hediger also credited “the kindness and quick actions of our older students on the bus, who instinctively stepped in to comfort and support their younger peers, (which) truly touched our hearts.”