Chippewa County Sheriff comments on apple orchard incident that left 25 people injured

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) – The Chippewa Fire District's deputy chief confirmed to WEAU that 25 people were injured in a tractor-trailer accident involving two hay wagons loaded with children and adults at the Bushel and a Peck Apple Orchard in the City of Lafayette.

Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes also confirmed that no one was killed. He said there would be a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

According to the calendar on the St. Mark Lutheran Church and School website, fourth and fifth grade students went on a field trip to Bushel and a Peck on Wednesday. The assistant principal would not confirm the ages of the injured or the severity of their injuries. He says that due to the large number of injured, they enacted mass casualty protocol, which is standard procedure when they do not have enough resources to respond.

Our team on the scene said several rescue vehicles and at least one helicopter were in action.

We were told that all the children have been reunited with their families. The school transport also came to the orchard to pick up the children.

Mayo Clinic Health System is one of the agencies that responded to the incident at Bushel and Peck Orchard, and emergency response teams have been mobilized, according to Dan Lea, senior communications specialist at Mayo Clinic Health System.

We will continue to follow the developing story online and in our evening news broadcasts.

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