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Overturned bus closes Highway 138 as hospital alerts
A Rockdale County school bus overturned on Old Salem Road in Conyers on Friday night, shutting down Highway 138 near Interstate 20 and prompting an Atlanta children's hospital to prepare for a mass casualty event.
ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. - A Rockdale County school bus overturned late Friday night in Conyers, prompting an emergency hospital standby and shutting down Georgia State Route 138.
The crash occurred after several high schools finished their games.
What we know:
Emergency personnel found a Rockdale County school bus on its side Friday night along Old Salem Road near Highway 138. The crash left significant visible damage to the front of the vehicle, while at least one side of the roof completely collapsed in on itself.
First responders later righted the bus after it landed in the middle of the road. At least a dozen police vehicles blocked the immediate lanes as officers worked the scene.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not confirmed how many students were riding inside or if anyone was injured. Officials have also not released which specific school the bus was serving, where the trip originated or where the bus was traveling.
Local Friday night football games were taking place across the region at the time of the crash. Investigators have not confirmed whether the late-night trip was connected to a school athletic event.
Emergency crews flood the intersection near Salem Road and SR 138 south of Interstate 20 in Rockdale County after an overturned school bus triggered a major multi-agency rescue operation late Friday evening, October 23, 2026 (GDOT / Georgia 511).
Local perspective:
Police shut down Georgia State Route 138 from Interstate 20, cutting off driver access from the exit ramp late Friday night. Motorists traveling through the Conyers corridor were advised to avoid the intersection and seek alternate travel routes.
Down the block from the scene, multiple school buses gathered inside an adjacent commercial parking lot. Officials appeared to utilize the staging area as a student reunification point where individuals could board secondary buses and contact family members.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from video footage of the crash scene, which showed an overturned school bus and emergency responders, as well as station newsroom reports. This article has been updated since it was originally published.