Child hit and killed by bus

An 11-year-old Victorian boy riding his bike to school was crossing at supervised traffic lights when he was struck and killed by a bus in Geelong, west of Melbourne.

Ebenezer Nur was on his way to school and crossing a busy road at the intersection of Bacchus Marsh Road and Purnell Road, in Corio, when he was struck by a bus at around 8.45am.

Locals, including a trauma nurse, rushed to help the boy, but he died at the scene.

Police are investigating whether speed was involved, whether the boy had a green light when he crossed and whether crossing supervisors were on the road at the time.

"We're looking at all avenues," Acting Senior Sergeant Steve Burgess told reporters.

Sen Sgt Burgess said the accident was witnessed by 30 to 40 people, including high school children, commuters on the bus, and people on the street.

"It was a horrific scene for the emergency responders and also the people on the bus," Sen Sgt Burgess said.

"It was a terrible thing to have to witness and we've just got to be mindful that we all need to be careful."

Witness Kerry Jones was on the bus, which was packed with children on their way to school.

"The kids were screaming," she told 7News reporter Nick McCallum. "It was morning school bus time for the kids."

Another passenger Joshua Donnelly said it happened very quickly.

"About 60 per cent of the bus started screaming...the rest were just in shock and calling their parents to tell them what had happened."

Sen Sgt Burgess said the bus had a green light when it turned left at the traffic lights and struck the boy, but it was not yet clear whether the boy had a green light to cross.

It was also not clear whether either of the two crossing supervisors were controlling the intersection when the crash happened.

Police have taken a statement from the bus driver and will speak to the witnesses to determine the cause of the crash.

An Ethiopian refugee, Ebenezer, his mother and his sister had been in Australia for less than a year.

There has been an outpouring of grief from Geelong's African community.

Family friend Theriza Bar said: "He's a good boy, a friendly boy. He loved everybody and when you talked him he was always smiling."

Sen Sgt Burgess said the incident is devastating.

"It's just a tragic accident," Sen Sgt Burgess added.

"A young boy on his way to school, a bus taking a turn, unfortunately we don't quite know who's to blame, or whether there was any fault, or whether he was just blindsided," he said.

"It's just a tragic thing to happen to a young boy on his way to school."

The police investigation will centre on CCTV footage shot by cameras at the intersection and on the bus.

The boy's death is the 93rd Victorian road fatality of the year, compared to 115 deaths at the same time last year.