Woman killed in collision between school bus, passenger vehicle in Thunder Bay

One woman is dead following a collision between a passenger vehicle and a school bus in Thunder Bay on Thursday morning.

No students on the school bus were injured in the collision, which occurred in the 1500 block of Oliver Road, west of Belrose Road, shortly after 8 a.m. ET.

The bus was on its way to Ecole Gron Morgan Public School and was stopped at an address on Oliver Road when the collision happened, according to an email to parents from Lakehead Public Schools that was obtained by CBC News.

"At this point, we can confirm that there was a motor vehicle [that] collided with the rear end of a stopped school bus on Oliver Road," said Craig Murphy, consortium manager with Student Transportation Services of Thunder Bay.

Police confirmed that the female driver of the passenger vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The Thunder Bay Police Service and Canadian Mental Health Association's Integrated Mobile Police Assessment Crisis Team unit responded and has been providing assistance," police said in a news release.

A second school bus was dispatched to pick up the students from the scene.

"Protocols are in place any time the bus is involved in such an incident," Murphy said. "The school's notified and then the parents are notified.

"It's my understanding some of the parents were able to get their children from the bus once the police cleared them, and the others were allowed to continue on to the school, onto the other bus."

The email sent to parents by the school board says "our focus will be on the mental health and well-being of our students who were on board at the time of this incident."

Police said the incident is under investigation. Oliver Road between Belrose and Mapleward roads was closed for part of Thursday due to the investigation, but it has since re-opened.