WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WTVT/WTSP/CBS NEWSPATH/WKRC) – Two people, including a 10th-grade student, were killed and several others were seriously injured Monday morning in a multi-vehicle crash involving a school bus in Florida.

The crash happened around 6:15 a.m. near Winter Haven, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

Two people, including a 10th-grade student, were killed and several others were seriously injured Monday morning in a multi-vehicle crash involving a school bus in Florida. (WTSP/CBS NEWSPATH)

The bus was carrying 37 Winter Haven High School students, the bus driver and the driver’s 9-year-old daughter.

Judd said preliminary video showed the bus traveling in its lane when a westbound Chevrolet Malibu crossed the center line for an unknown reason and struck the bus.

The impact ripped a tire from the bus, causing it to cross into the opposite lane and collide head-on with a silver Jeep, according to Judd. The Jeep caught fire.

A 10th-grade girl riding on the bus was killed. A second person in the Jeep also died.

Authorities issued between five and seven trauma alerts for people injured in the crash. Victims were taken from the scene by helicopters, ambulances and private vehicles.

Two people, including a 10th-grade student, were killed and several others were seriously injured Monday morning in a multi-vehicle crash involving a school bus in Florida. (WTVT/CBS NEWSPATH)

Judd said one person remained in critical condition Monday, while several others were receiving hospital treatment.

“If there’s a silver lining, the silver lining is there wasn’t more fatalities than there were,” Judd said. “But to have one fatality is one too many, and to have one fatality of a beautiful high school girl is just heartbreaking.”

Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Fred Heid called it an “incredibly tragic event” but said the crash could have resulted in even more serious injuries or deaths.

“We drill for this with our students intentionally so that they know how to evacuate a bus in the event of an accident,” Heid said. “We are very, very fortunate today that more students were not seriously injured.”

Authorities said at least four vehicles were involved. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.