School trip horror as 16 dead, 39 injured in bus crash in Verona, Italy(pics)

TWITTER/Italian Fire Servic

A BUS carrying schoolchildren has crashed and caught fire leaving at least 16 people dead, according to emergency officials in Italy.

The bus, carrying pupils from Hungary, collided with a pylon as it exited the motorway near Verona late on Friday evening.

Following the crash, the school bus also caught fire, leaving at least 16 people dead in northern Italy.

According to Italian nation fire services on Twitter, another 39 people have been injured.

TWITTER

The bus crashed and burst into flames just before midnight

TWITTER/Italian Fire Service

The school bus was carrying pupils from Hungary

A number of the pupils, aged between 14 and 18, were thrown from the vehicle during horrific crash.

However, other students were trapped helplessly inside while the fire consumed the vehicle. 

Ten of the passengers in hospital remain in a serious condition but the fire service said the death toll is not expected to rise.

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Reports claim at least 16 people have died in the bus crash carrying children

TWITTER/ Italian Fire Service

Footage from the scene shows the burnt out shell of the school bus

Officials confirmed that all of the badly burned bodies had been pulled from the wreckage.

Police commander Geralomo Lacquanita said the bus crashed and burst into flames just before midnight.

Footage from the scene shows the burnt out shell of the school bus.

TWITTER/ Italian Fire Service

The Italian fire service confirmed the crash on Twitter

In the video, the Italian fire service can be seen hosing down the wreck. 

According to officials, the bus had been returning to Budapest from France, where the pupils had been enjoying a mountain holiday for the winter season.

It remains unclear why the bus went off the road, crashing into the barriers.