Melbourne: At least thirteen children were rushed to hospital after a truck hit a school bus in the Australian city of Melbourne on Tuesday, media reports said.

According to reports, 10 students were seriously injured in the mishap.

The bus was reportedly carrying 45 children at the time of the accident.

Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Cruse told The Age that the bus left nearby Exford Primary School – just south of Melton – about 3.30pm and was attempting to turn right onto Murphys Road when a truck crashed into the back of it, rolling the vehicle on its side.

Cruse said it was “very lucky” no one died in the accident.

The crash occurred less than a kilometre from the primary school on the suburban border between Exford and Eynesbury, about 40 kilometres west of Melbourne’s CBD.

Cruse told the newspaper that students were heading home at the end of the school day when the crash happened.

“The bus has suffered significant damage, it’s also overturned,” he said. “So it’s very fortunate that the injuries aren’t more serious, but I must stress it is still a very serious incident.”