On Friday afternoon, a school bus in Meridian, Idaho, met an accident while heading toward Treasure Valley Family YMCA. The bus was among the four buses involved in transporting children to the summer camp.
The Idaho State Police learned about the crash at around 3 p.m. on August 4, 2023. They immediately responded to the call and arrived at the accident for further investigation.
The school bus reportedly rolled over on SH55, after which both sides of the highway were closed for about four hours. The Idaho State Police advised citizens to use alternative routes during this time.
Idaho school bus crash sends 30 kids to the hospital, 11 critical https://t.co/IGlBe0zDtp pic.twitter.com/JoN1zgulb1
— New York Post (@nypost) August 5, 2023
First responders from nearby fire departments immediately arrived to rescue the children, while officials from the Boise County Sheriff’s Office and the Ada County Sheriff’s Office also came to help.
What Happened to the Kids?
“At about 3 p.m. this afternoon, troopers responded to State Highway 55 near milepost 84 on the report of a school bus rollover crash with about 30 occupants onboard,” the Idaho State Police announced on its official Facebook page.
According to the authorities, the bus had children between 13 to 18 years old. Eleven of them were injured, of which seven were in a critical state. The first responders took all the children to nearby hospitals by road and air “in an abundance of caution.”
While the kids were sent to the emergency departments of nearby hospitals, the authorities informed their parents about the unfortunate incident. The medical professionals at nearby hospitals were prepared to provide medical treatment to the children onboard.
What Happened to the Driver?
The President and CEO of Treasure Valley Family YMCA, David Duro, spoke about the incident later that day. He felt sad after learning about the incident because the bus ride is supposed to be a joyful experience for the children.
“It’s the first time we’ve ever had something like this, and we hope it’s the last time,” he said before adding that he awaited the investigation reports to see what caused the crash so he could rectify it.
The Idaho State Police arrived at the accident site after the crash but could not deduce the cause of the accident. They said, “At this time, it is unknown what caused the crash, and ISP is investigating.”The police did not confirm whether the bus driver was an employee of the YMCA, and his medical status is also unknown. The authorities are yet to find out what caused the crash.
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