Gumleaf
September 10th, 2009, 08:22 PM
09:00 AEST Fri Sep 11 2009
By ninemsn staff with AAP
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/861073/forty-injured-one-dead-in-school-bus-crash
One person has been killed and several children seriously injured after a school bus and two cars collided during peak hour traffic near Sydney this morning.
The crash happened on Heathcote Road near New Illawarra Road at Lucas Heights in Sydney's south around 7.50am.
A police spokesman told ninemsn that the male driver of one of the cars — a silver-coloured hatchback — had been killed while the female passenger had been taken to St George Hospital in a serious condition.
It is understood the car was travelling eastbound when it collided head-on with the west-bound bus.
At least one teacher and five children onboard the bus have been taken to hospital suffering shock, cuts and bruises, police said.
The children, some kindergarten students, were from Sutherland Shire Christian School in the suburb of Barden Ridge.
The bus was travelling from Ingadine, school business manager Kerrin Ryan told the TODAY show.
Chrissy Flanagan of the Transport Control Centre told ABC radio the bus was a Veolia chartered bus.
"At the moment we have replacement buses on the way from Veolia to take any children that can continue but with the road closed at the moment obviously those buses can't get through, but we're taking care of that," she told ABC radio.
Mandy McNeil, the mother of three children on the bus, told the TODAY show the children were being taken to hospital for check-ups.
"We're very thankful they are all fine and the teachers are there to take care of them," Ms McNeil said.
"I have absolute confidence in them (teachers), they are a wonderful school.
"When you can't be there as a parent, you want people to be there to take care of them."
NSW Ambulance spokesman David Morris told the TODAY show there were 32 people injured and eight others seriously injured.
A triage had been set up at Menai ambulance station, he said.
"We are about to land a helicopter about 200m south of Heathcote Road but we are still triaging patients so we will have more information soon," he said.
"Paramedics are on scene triaging patients in category of what injuries they are and we don't have any details at this stage of any injuries of those patients.
"We've currently got 11 ambulances on scene with two helicopters — one en route and one has also landed on the scene."
Police said the remaining students on the bus were being assessed at the scene.
A bus is en route to pick up the remaining children and they will be taken directly to the school.
Heathcote Road has been closed in both directions between the Princes Highway and New Illawarra Road, the RTA said.
By ninemsn staff with AAP
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/861073/forty-injured-one-dead-in-school-bus-crash
One person has been killed and several children seriously injured after a school bus and two cars collided during peak hour traffic near Sydney this morning.
The crash happened on Heathcote Road near New Illawarra Road at Lucas Heights in Sydney's south around 7.50am.
A police spokesman told ninemsn that the male driver of one of the cars — a silver-coloured hatchback — had been killed while the female passenger had been taken to St George Hospital in a serious condition.
It is understood the car was travelling eastbound when it collided head-on with the west-bound bus.
At least one teacher and five children onboard the bus have been taken to hospital suffering shock, cuts and bruises, police said.
The children, some kindergarten students, were from Sutherland Shire Christian School in the suburb of Barden Ridge.
The bus was travelling from Ingadine, school business manager Kerrin Ryan told the TODAY show.
Chrissy Flanagan of the Transport Control Centre told ABC radio the bus was a Veolia chartered bus.
"At the moment we have replacement buses on the way from Veolia to take any children that can continue but with the road closed at the moment obviously those buses can't get through, but we're taking care of that," she told ABC radio.
Mandy McNeil, the mother of three children on the bus, told the TODAY show the children were being taken to hospital for check-ups.
"We're very thankful they are all fine and the teachers are there to take care of them," Ms McNeil said.
"I have absolute confidence in them (teachers), they are a wonderful school.
"When you can't be there as a parent, you want people to be there to take care of them."
NSW Ambulance spokesman David Morris told the TODAY show there were 32 people injured and eight others seriously injured.
A triage had been set up at Menai ambulance station, he said.
"We are about to land a helicopter about 200m south of Heathcote Road but we are still triaging patients so we will have more information soon," he said.
"Paramedics are on scene triaging patients in category of what injuries they are and we don't have any details at this stage of any injuries of those patients.
"We've currently got 11 ambulances on scene with two helicopters — one en route and one has also landed on the scene."
Police said the remaining students on the bus were being assessed at the scene.
A bus is en route to pick up the remaining children and they will be taken directly to the school.
Heathcote Road has been closed in both directions between the Princes Highway and New Illawarra Road, the RTA said.