Update: School Bus, Two Trucks Collide in Deerfield
No children sustain life threatening injuries as at least five ambulances transport students to local hospitals. Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Protection District are first on scene.
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(Update at 10:30 p.m.) A total of 22 people were taken to the hospital today as the result of a collision between two trucks and a school bus, according to a news release from the Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Protection District.
Half of the 40 students on the bus sustained non life threatening injuries, according to the release. Of the 22 injured, 20 were students on the bus from Palombi Middle School in Lake Villa. The other two people hurt were the bus driver and one of the truck drivers.
The collision occurred at 9:30 a.m., according to the release. Representatives from Lake Villa School District 41 arrived at the scene after the crash to supervise the transfer of the uninjured students to another bus.
(Earlier at 11:33 a.m.) A school bus full of children from Palombi Middle School in Lake Villa collided with a two-axle box truck today on the Tristate Tollway just north of Deerfield Road sending 20 children to the hospital with non life threatening injuries.
Southbound traffic on the tollway was backed up from just north of Deerfield Road to Highway 60 in Lake Forest as the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Transportation worked to assist the injured and clear the crash scene.
“All the injuries are non life threatening,” Sgt. Tim Moore, a spokesperson for the Illinois State Police, said. “They (the children) are being treated and taken to local hospitals.” Moore had no further information on the injuries.
According to a report on WBBM radio, 20 children were sent to local hospitals. Eight school buses were traveling together when one collided with the truck. The accident happened at approximately 10 a.m.
Traffic was still backed up to Highway 60 at 11 a.m. as officials worked to clear the scene. The truck was the size of a moving van, according to Moore.
The school buses from Lake Villa District 41 were reported by the Lake County News-Sun to be headed in a caravan to Allstate Arena in Rosemont on a school outing.
Julia Rivas
3:35 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
I am one of the parents of a child at Palombi bus accident. Parents were contacted by phone by school district at 11:00. Thanks to the teachers, bus drivers, school staff and volunteers for all they did. Uninjured children were driven back to school where parents were arriving to pick up their child. Children informed parents that children were taken to hospitals. We were told minor injuries. Lake Villa rescue squad came to school, staff told parents that they plan on resuming a normal school day. Children were so upset that parents took them home, others raised to hospitals. We hope the injured will return home today with just minor bumps & bruises.Julia Rivas
Debra Gisby
4:22 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
So happy no one was seriously injured and this was handled very well by the school and emergency services. Kudos to teachers, bus drivers, school staff -always under appreciated.
Ryan
10:32 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Crazy enough, I was right behind the white panel truck before it was hit by the other white panel truck and into the bus. I didn't realize it until 10 hours later that debris from the truck flew up into my radiator and cracked it. The car is headed to the shop in the morning. In any case, I'm glad that there were no life threatening injuries. I will tell you that I was in my car, on the phone (on headset) yelling... NO, NO, NO! just as the wheels of the bus touched back onto the pavement. It was inches from flipping over, which would have certainly caused major injuries.
Northshore
7:06 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
OMG, How could this happen ? why isn't obama banning all trucks, or atleast mandating that ALL school buses have armed police escorts ?
Thinking for the future
9:34 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
If you are an example of humanity, I really hope the Myans are right about tomorrow.
Marilyn
10:54 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Thanks for the post. I got on the 294 Southbound about 15 mins after this accident. The damage to the bus( which was part of a convoy of buses) on the drivers side looked minor but realize this could have been so much more serious based on earlier posts of what occurred. I guess when I saw helicopters in the sky I wondered and I will take the 45 minute backup delay as nothing but an inconvenience since it is remarkable that the bus did not tip and cause more serious injury to young lives.
David Greenberg
11:10 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Still no seat belts mandated on school buses right?
Tiana
7:43 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
David - None yet, I just had this discussion with a camp. No seat belts required for even 3 year olds who need to be in actual car seats.
D'skidoc
8:29 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
That is verrrrrry scary. I opine that there would have been few or no injuries had the kids on that bus been belted. Scarier still that drivers are legally required to have a child seat for kids but not busses. My special needs daughter rides to school in a cab with the standard seat belt and an additional restraining harness
Steve Sadin
7:47 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
Ryan, thanks for your update. We really appreciate citizen journalists letting us know details no one could learn other than being on the scene. I was across the way 45 minutes after the collission but you actually saw how what happened. Thanks.