FNN Article © Friday, September 5, 2025. Images by Knoxville-Deerfield Fire Department © Sept. 2, 2025.
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP, PA – A passenger car crashed into the rear of a Northern Tioga School bus on Tuesday afternoon, September 2, 2025, around 3:15 PM in Deerfield Township injuring five individuals.
Fire units from Knoxville, Osceola and Westfield were dispatched to the area of 5464 Route 49 around 3:18 PM. Also two medic units from Wellsboro, a Was well as, two ambulances from Sabinsville, two ambulances from Valley Community Ambulances out of Osceola and a Wellsboro ambulance stationed in Nelson responded to the crash site.
Fire personnel arrived on scene within minutes, as fire crews and EMS units continued in. The Northern Tioga School District (NTSD) Principal was made aware of the accident involving the school district’s school bus #608 shortly after the crash occurred. According to Knoxville-Deerfield Fire Department, even NTSD staff assisted at the accident scene.
Route 49 was temporarily closed down as fire and EMS personnel checked over all those involved in the crash. PennDOT was later requested to the scene to assist Osceola firefighters with traffic control.
Early reports indicated that the male driver who was able to exit his vehicle suffered injuries that were concerning to EMS.
LifeNet 7-7 medical helicopter was doing an in-air standby when they were requested to respond to transport the injured car driver to a trauma center. Meanwhile twenty-six school students were still being evaluated by those assisting. Overall it was noted that there were a total of five individuals injured.
Both Sabinville ambulances transported injured students to UPMC Wellsboro Hospital for further evaluations and treatment. Also a high school student was last to be transported to UPMC Wellsboro Hospital by Valley Ambulance, for treatment of that student’s injuries. As for LifeNet 7-7 it landed in a field nearby around 3:52 PM. The male victim was loaded into the helicopter and by 4:14 PM he was flown out to Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA., for treatment of his injuries.
Kristopher A. Kaufman, Superintendent of the Northern Tioga School District did not provide any details on the accident or provide an exact number of injured students involved in the crash. However, the superintendent did express thanks to all the fire and EMS personnel who were on scene. Thanks also went out to the school district’s staff and administrators who were instrumental in making note of student bus riders, coordinating with the schools and the central office for their communication to parents. School personnel helped with the tracking students and making notes as to which students were released to their parents and those who were transported to the hospital. The superintendent even gave thanks to Debora’s Transportation and the bus driver for their assistance at the incident.
Route 49 was reopened by 4:53 PM and all fire crews were cleared from the accident.
Knoxville crews, however, ended up immediately responding to a second two vehicle accident reported in the area of Merrick Hill Road and Route 49. It was noted that there were no injuries involved in that crash.
Pennsylvania State Police has not provided a press release on this incident at this time. When FNN receives that information, an update will be added to this article.
