A routine school morning in south Sacramento turned surreal on Wednesday when a big rig slammed into Anna Kirchgater Elementary School while classes were in session. Despite the dramatic crash, officials said all students, teachers and staff escaped injury. The truck's driver was briefly trapped in the wreckage before firefighters pulled him out and sent him to a hospital, and a white sedan involved in the collision was also damaged.
Officials say crews responded around 11:20 a.m.
According to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, crews got the call about the crash at about 11:20 a.m. When they arrived, they found a big rig that had first collided with a passenger sedan, then veered off the roadway, smashed through a sound wall and finally hit the school building itself. Metro Fire said towing crews later hauled both vehicles away from the scene.
Photos show heavy damage to truck and sedan
Photos published by KCRA show the truck's cab punched through part of the school's exterior wall, with debris scattered around the impact point. The images also show damage to the rear bumper of the white sedan. KCRA reported that the sedan's driver was not hurt, while the truck driver was taken to a hospital with injuries that officials have not publicly detailed.
Students and staff accounted for; scene cleared
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District said every student, teacher and staff member at the school was accounted for at the scene and that none reported injuries. Firefighters used extrication tools to free the truck operator from the damaged cab, then worked with towing companies to remove the vehicles and secure the area so investigators could safely move in.
Investigation ongoing
Officials have not yet released a cause for the crash. Investigators are expected to examine the scene and review the truck's movements leading up to the collision, KCRA reported. Local agencies have not announced whether the school building will need repairs or when regular operations on campus will fully resume.
