10 ambulances summoned to Pa. school bus crash

The driver and about 15 students were transported to the hospital after the bus in which they were in crashed and came to rest on its side

November 27, 2013 02:27 AM

The Daily Item

DANVILLE, Pa. — About 15 vo-tech students and the driver were taken to a hospital as a precaution after their bus slid off icy Klein Road and overturned on its side.

The students, from the Danville area, were headed to Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School when the crash occurred at about 7:45 a.m. Tuesday.

The bus left the road and crashed onto its left side, coming to rest on a hill along the windy road.

Students, both young men and young women, were high school age, according to Danville principals called to the scene.

Liberty-Valley Intermediate School Principal Chris Johns was early on the scene since he was the nearest school official at the time. Also responding was Danville Primary School Principal John Bickhart.

The principals said it was tough to tell the types of injuries. “A lot of the students were shaken up,” Johns said.

Danville students didn’t have school on Tuesday. Their last day of school for Thanksgiving vacation was Monday. Danville teachers and administrators were in school Tuesday, however.

Numerous ambulances were called in accordance to protocol for a school bus accident, said Valley Township Fire Chief Mike Kull.

Kull said the students and driver were out of the Fishing Creek bus by the time he arrived.

He said it didn’t appear that the bus tires had chains on.

A Myers bus, from nearby Bald Top, was brought to the scene if needed as a back-up bus.

Johns said he understood the students and driver were taken by ambulances to Geisinger Medical Center as a precaution to be checked for any injuries.

The crash occurred at a bend on Klein Road and at least 1 mile off Route 642. It appears the bus was heading down the bend at the time.

Kull said as many as possible Danville ambulances responded along with ambulances from outside the area. He estimated 10 ambulances were summoned but added not all were needed. They included ambulances from Lewisburg, White Deer Township and Elysburg.

Valley Township and Liberty Township fire companies responded along with fire police.

The entrance to Klein Road, at Route 642, was blocked to traffic except for emergency vehicles.

Valley Township and Mahoning Township road crews cindered and salted the area.