17 kids hurt in car crash at L.A. school

Ambulances line up outside school.

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- An "out-of-control" Mercedes Benz struck a group of students waiting to be picked up from school Wednesday afternoon, injuring at least 17 children -- three seriously -- authorities said. At least three adults also were injured.

The car was in a line of vehicles at Westminster Academy waiting to take children home just after school let out about 3 p.m. (6 p.m. ET), said Los Angeles City Fire Chief Robert Franco.

The driver picked up some children, but as she was preparing to leave, the car somehow got "out of her control" and hit nearby students, Franco said.

At one point, a child was pinned under the car and bystanders pulled the student out. The driver and the children in the car were not injured, Franco said.

The crash appeared to have been accident, Franco said.

VIDEO Several children are seriously injured when a car strikes a group of students waiting to be picked up outside a Los Angeles school (January 30) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

Firefighters and paramedics set up emergency triage areas in the parking to treat the children, and more than a dozen ambulances lined up to shuttle the most seriously injured to the hospital.

An aerial picture showed yellow tarps laid out, with one section marked "MINOR" for minor injuries and other areas designated for more serious injuries. Papers, surgical gloves and empty clear plastic bags were strewn across the ground.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda said the injuries ranged from bruises and broken legs to more serious injuries.

A spokeswoman for Los Angeles County Medical Center said the facility received eight children and three adults suffering from abrasions and fractures; one had a possible head injury.

Dr. Janet Semple-Hess with Children's Hospital said two children -- a 6-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy -- were airlifted to her medical facility.

She said younger child was in fair condition with two broken thigh bones and possibly a broken pelvis; the older boy was in serious condition with broken ribs and bruised lungs.

Both were alert and communicating with doctors, she said.

The Los Angeles Police Department was investigating the incident and called officers to tactical alert, keeping them on overtime and on duty to properly secure the scene.

-- CNN's Tony Frassrand contributed to this report.