CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Bloodied students lay on stretchers, while other children walked away dazed with their parents after an elementary school bus crash that killed six Monday in Chattanooga.

Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston told media outlets that five people were killed at the scene and one died at the hospital. Melydia Clewell, spokeswoman for the district attorney, confirmed the number.

Police said the ages of the students ranged from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher said 35 students were on board on the bus when it crashed, according toCBS Chattanooga affiliate WDEF. At a news conference, Fletcher said that the bus was the only vehicle involved.

Fletcher said the crash was “every public safety professional’s worst nightmare.”

Fletcher said police were interviewing the bus driver to determine what happened and told reporters later that investigators were looking at speed “very, very strongly” as a factor. The bus was the only vehicle involved but the crash scene covers a significant area, he said.

The Chattanooga Fire Department’s Public Information Director, Bruce Garner, said in a tweet that 23 patients were taken to hospitals in ambulances.

Colonel Tracy Trott of the Tennessee Highway Patrol tweeted that children were both killed and injured:

My heart goes out to the families of the children that were killed & injured in the school bus crash in Chattanooga this evening. TT — Colonel THP (@THP_Colonel) November 21, 2016

The police department said the bus driver is cooperating in the investigation.

“We just wanted to inform you that Hamilton County schools faced a great tragedy today,” read a text message sent to parents in Tennessee’s Hamilton County on Monday, according to WDEF. “School and county personnel are on scene of a bus accident on Tally Road in Chattanooga. Extra counselors and support staff will be on hand to help students process this horrible incident.”

The NTSB said Monday evening they will send a team to investigate.

NTSB launching Go Team to investigate school bus crash in Chattanooga, TN. Team to deploy a.m. of Tuesday, 22 Nov. — NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) November 22, 2016

Shocking pictures posted to social media from the scene of the accident showed a tree slicing through the crashed school bus.

Last patient just extricated from bus by #ChattFire here at school bus crash on Talley Rd. EMS is transporting. pic.twitter.com/0GhrSSy0Wc — Chattanooga FireDept (@ChattFireDept) November 21, 2016

Governor Bill Haslam issued a statement on the deadly bus crash.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with victims of today’s tragic school bus crash in Chattanooga,” the statement said. “It’s always a very sad situation when you have a school bus crash with children involved and we will do everything we can to assist the local authorities and the victims’ families.”

Transportation company Durham School Services confirmed that its bus was involved in the crash and said it could not answer questions at this time due to the active investigation.

JUST IN: statement from Durham, that operates the bus pic.twitter.com/PQuecuMxBd — Latricia Thomas (@LatriciaTnc9) November 22, 2016</s>CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Official: 6 people killed in elementary school bus crash in Chattanooga.</s>Six people were killed Monday when a Chattanooga, Tennessee school bus with 35 young children aboard crashed, turned on its side and wrapped around a tree, according to the district attorney. 



Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston told media outlets that five people died at the scene and one died at the hospital. Melydia Clewell, spokeswoman for the district attorney, confirmed the number.

Previously, Chattanooga Police Assistant Chief Tracy Arnold said officials would not identify the students who died, or their ages, until parents were notified. Twenty-three children were brought to hospitals, officials said.

The bus was carrying students from Woodmore Elementary ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade.

Chattanooga police chief Fred Fletcher said officers were interviewing the bus driver to determine what happened.

“Our hearts go out, as well as the hearts of all these people behind me, to the families, the neighborhood, the school, for all the people involved in this, we assure you we are doing everything we can,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher said at a news conference that the bus was the only vehicle involved in the crash.

At the state Capitol in Nashville, governor Bill Haslam called the crash “a tragic event” and offered assistance.

“We’re going to do everything we can to assist in any way,” Haslam said. “It’s a sad situation anytime there’s a school bus with children involved, which there is in this case.”</s>In this photo provided by the Chattanooga Fire Department via Chattanooga Times Free Press, Chattanooga Fire Department members work the scene of a fatal elementary school bus crash in Chattanooga, Tenn., Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. In a news conference Monday, Assistant Chief Tracy Arnold said there were multiple fatalities in the crash. (Bruce Garner/Chattanooga Fire Department via Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP)

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Six people were killed Monday when a Chattanooga school bus with 35 young children aboard crashed, turned on its side and wrapped around a tree, according to the district attorney.

Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston told media outlets that five people died at the scene and one died at the hospital. Melydia Clewell, spokeswoman for the district attorney, confirmed the number.

Previously, Chattanooga Police Assistant Chief Tracy Arnold said officials would not identify the students who died, or their ages, until parents were notified. Twenty-three children were brought to hospitals, officials said.

The bus was carrying students from Woodmore Elementary ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade.

"Our hearts go out, as well as the hearts of all these people behind me, to the families, the neighborhood, the school, for all the people involved in this, we assure you we are doing everything we can," Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher said.

Fletcher said at a news conference that the bus was the only vehicle involved in the crash.

At the state Capitol in Nashville, Gov. Bill Haslam called the crash "a tragic event" and offered assistance.

"We're going to do everything we can to assist in any way," Haslam said. "It's a sad situation anytime there's a school bus with children involved, which there is in this case."

Fletcher said police were interviewing the bus driver to determine what happened.</s>In this photo provided by the Chattanooga Fire Department via Chattanooga Times Free Press, Chattanooga Fire Department members work the scene of a fatal elementary school bus crash in Chattanooga, Tenn., Monday. In a news conference Monday, Assistant Chief Tracy Arnold said there were multiple fatalities in the crash. (Bruce Garner/Chattanooga Fire Department via Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP)</s>CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Bloodied students lay on stretchers, while other children walked away dazed with their parents after an elementary school bus crash that killed six Monday in Chattanooga.

Chattanooga police Chief Fred Fletcher said the crash was "every public safety professional's worst nightmare."

The bus was carrying 35 children from Woodmore Elementary, students in kindergarten through fifth grade, when it crashed about 3:30 p.m., turned on its side and wrapped around a tree.

Fletcher said police were interviewing the bus driver to determine what happened and told reporters later that investigators were looking at speed as a possible contributing factor. The bus was the only vehicle involved, he said.

Twenty-three students were taken to hospitals, Fletcher said. He did not have information about the extent of injuries. Media reported it took about two hours to get the last children off the bus.

Television stations reported that people lined up to donate blood and some donors were asked to make appointments for Tuesday.

Kirk Kelly, interim superintendent for Hamilton County schools, said classes would be held on Tuesday, with counselors available for students and staff.

Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston told media outlets that five people died at the scene and one died at the hospital. Melydia Clewell, the district attorney's spokeswoman, confirmed the number.

Chattanooga police Assistant Chief Tracy Arnold said officials would not identify the students who died, or their ages, until parents were notified.

"Our hearts go out, as well as the hearts of all these people behind me, to the families, the neighborhood, the school, for all the people involved in this, we assure you we are doing everything we can," Fletcher said.

At the state Capitol in Nashville, Gov. Bill Haslam called the crash "a tragic event" and offered assistance.

"We're going to do everything we can to assist in any way," Haslam said. "It's a sad situation anytime there's a school bus with children involved, which there is in this case."</s>A school bus crash in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Monday, killed several people, with 23 being sent to the hospital with injuries, police said.

The bus driver is being questioned and cooperating with investigators, the Chattanooga Police said on Twitter. The fire department tweeted that there was no firm number on casualties, contrary to local media reports.</s>CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — The Latest on the fatal school bus crash in Chattanooga (all times local):

The district attorney says six people are dead in an elementary school bus crash in Chattanooga.

Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston told media outlets that five people died at the scene and one died at the hospital. Melydia Clewell, spokeswoman for the district attorney, confirmed the number.

The school bus was mangled around a tree at the scene. Police say the ages of the students ranged from kindergarten through fifth grade.

The bus was carrying students from Woodmore Elementary.

Chattanooga police are reporting multiple deaths in an elementary school bus crash.

In a news conference Monday, Assistant Chief Tracy Arnold said there were multiple fatalities but did not confirm the exact number. Police have said the bus crash sent 23 people to area hospitals and 35 schoolchildren were on the bus Monday afternoon.

The school bus was mangled around a tree at the scene. Arnold said the ages of the students ranged from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Chattanooga police say an elementary school bus crash has sent 23 people to area hospitals.

Police Chief Fred Fletcher said 35 schoolchildren were on the bus Monday afternoon. He did not have information about the extent of injuries and said rescue efforts were continuing.

Fletcher said at a news conference that the bus was the only vehicle involved in the crash. The students on board ranged from kindergarten through fifth grade.

At the state Capitol in Nashville, Gov. Bill Haslam called the crash "a tragic event" and offered assistance.

Fletcher said police were interviewing the bus driver to determine what happened.

The bus was carrying students from Woodmore Elementary.</s>A bus carrying dozens of elementary school students crashed in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Monday, killing an undetermined number of people and sending 23 to a local hospital with injuries, police said.

The students were in kindergarten through fifth grade, a spokesman for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said. That would make them roughly ages 5 to 10.

“Multiple fatalities are involved in this bus crash. However, contrary to media reports, no firm numbers have been confirmed yet,” the fire department wrote on Twitter.

Photographs issued by the Chattanooga Fire Department showed the bus on its side, wrapped around a tree.

The bus driver is being questioned and cooperating with investigators, the Chattanooga Police said on Twitter.

Twenty-three people were transported in ambulances to a local hospital, and the last patient was extricated from the bus, the fire department said.

Two bloodied students laid on stretchers in a front yard nearly an hour after the crash receiving attention from first responders, while others not taken to the hospital appeared dazed with cuts on their faces, the newspaper said on its website.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.</s>A school bus is carried away Tuesday in Chattanooga, Tenn, from the site where it crashed on Monday. The bus driver, Johnthony Walker, 24, has been arrested on charges including vehicular homicide, reckless driving and reckless endangerment. The crash killed at least five elementary school students. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
At least six people are killed as an elementary school bus carrying dozens of students crashes in Chattanooga, Tennessee.