Bus carrying kindergartners reportedly loses brakes

MONTCLAIR, N.J. — A school bus carrying approximately 50 kindergartners reportedly lost its brakes on Tuesday and knocked down a fire hydrant and utility pole before crashing into a car and coming to a stop against a tree on the front lawn of a nearby house.

The driver told investigators that she felt the brakes fail as she was driving up a steep hill. The bus then rolled backward down the hill.

Montclair police and fire personnel responded to the accident and closed the intersection to traffic, The Montclair Times reports. The damaged school bus, car and utility pole were removed.

The children were being driven to Morristown to see "Charlotte's Web" at a local theater when the accident occurred. Adults on the bus helped the kindergartners walk back to their school, at which point parents were notified.

Five people on the bus sustained minor injuries and were transported to hospitals for treatment. The other students were evaluated by a school nurse.