A bus transporting students from Munro College and Hampton High School overturned on the Malvern main road in St Elizabeth, near the Bethlehem Moravian College, shortly after 4 p.m. yesterday.

It is reported that the bus overturned after hitting the banking while travelling along the roadway.

One Bethlehem student, who arrived on the scene shortly after the incident, said: "There was a lot a smoke coming from the bus, and the students were rushing out of the bus through the windows and other parts, basically anywhere they could get an [exit], they were trying to get out of the bus. They were running in all directions as if they were confused. It's kind of a little gully like and they were just rushing out of the bus and running down the hill. The bus was on its top, the wheels were in the air," she said.

She added: "Some students were covered in gas oil. You could see the [extent to] which they were covered. Some students had taken off their shirts and their bodies were painted black. One of my colleagues took out this little boy; I think they said he was stuck inside the bus. When he took him out he was covered in gas oil from head to foot and he was shaking like he had a fit or something," Smith continued.

The police responded to the incident, and took the injured to seek medical attention from doctors in Santa Cruz. No one was seriously injured.