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Students taken to CHOP after 2 schoolbuses collide

More than 40 students were taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia this morning after an accident involving a pair of school buses.

More than 40 students were taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia this morning after an accident involving a pair of school buses.

The children, some of whom had minor injuries, were taken primarily as a precaution, said Acting Battalion Chief Carl Grymes of the Fire Department.

Two adults also sustained minor injuries in the accident, in which one bus rear-ended the other at about 8:10 a.m. on the 2700 block of Island Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia, Grymes said.

"Some students complained of bumps and bumps," said School District spokesman Fernando Gallard. "When we have a student complaining about that, we take them to the hospital just to double-check."

A hospital spokeswoman said 45 students were getting medical attention.

The buses were taking 48 students - fifth-, sixth- and seventh-graders - to Pepper Middle School, Gallard said.

A sixth-grade girl who was a passenger of the rear-ended bus said several of its windows shattered, sending glass onto the floor and seats, and all the children fell on the floor after being thrown into the backs of the seats in front of them.

The young girl, her right knee wrapped, said her chest also hurt, as she left CHOP with her parents, who declined to let her be identified.

The bus had no seat belts, and fumes were coming from under it, she said.

The accident closed the southbound side of Island Avenue between Buist and Tanager Streets for more than an hour, according to traffic.com.