The collision happened just after 8 a.m. when the 15-person-occupancy vehicle, which was carrying children ages 5 to 12, was struck by an MTA bus on Union Turnpike near 184th street in Fresh Meadows, according to police.
Six of the students were from Public School 178, also known as Holliswood Elementary School, in Jamaica, Queens and the seventh was going to a day care center, which Newsday identified as the Afro-American Parents Day Care Center in St. Albans, Queens.
The Fire Department said the two critically injured children were taken to Long Island Jewish Hospital, along with one other child who was not as badly hurt.
The newspaper said the children's backpacks and drawings were scattered inside the van after the accident. The Department of Education sent counselors to the school to console faculty and students.
A spokeswoman said an 11-year-old boy, a 5-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl are in stable condition at Mary Immaculate Hospital. Two other patients were taken to Queens General Hospital and to New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens.
NYC Transit said the driver of the Q46 bus was hospitalized in stable condition. There were no immediate reports of bus passenger injuries.
The bus was headed northbound when the soundbound van turned in front of the bus, Paul Fleuranges, a spokesman for NYC Transit said, both vehicles had a green light. He said the right front of the bus struck the right rear side of the van.
The Department of Transportation said the particular type of van that was carrying the school children are generally not allowed to transport children involved in academia, daycare or day camp. A school bus that transports children with a cap of 10 passengers or more has to be built to federal standards and needs to be inspected twice a year. In addition, New York state drivers need to have a commercial drivers license and must meet additional requirements for driving a bus.
The investigation will continue with the Public Transportation Safety Board because an MTA bus was involved.
Police said they have charged the van driver, Gene Boyd, 60, with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child.
He complained of chest pains and was taken to an area hospital.
The Board of Education expressed concern in a statement sent to Newschannel 4: "Obviously this is a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the students and their parents."
Check back with WNBC.com for more details on this story as they become available.
