Exford, Melbourne school bus crash: One child with amputation, others with spinal injuries
Seven children are fighting for their lives after a horrific bus crash west of Melbourne, while several students undergo partial and full amputations in hospital.
The crash occurred on Tuesday afternoon at the corner of Exford and Murphys Rd in Eynesbury, west of Melbourne’s CBD.
Emergency services were called at 3:40 p.m.
The bus was en route from Exford Primary School, which is just 900 meters from the accident scene, when a lorry hit the vehicle from behind, Victoria Police said.
The collision caused the bus to flip on its side.
There were 45 children aged between five and 11 from Exford Primary School on the bus at the time, with ten pupils suffering multiple and traumatic injuries.
“This includes the partial and full amputation of arms,” Bernadette McDonald, director of the Royal Children’s Hospital, told a news conference.
“We have admitted seven patients, one of whom is currently in our intensive care unit. The ages of the children range from five to eleven years old.
“The children have suffered multiple and traumatic injuries including partial and full amputations of arms, multiple crushed limbs, severe cuts to the head and body, head injuries, broken glass and three patients are currently receiving spinal support and are being closely monitored in terms of spinal cord injuries.
Ms McDonald said theater staff were operating well into the early hours of Wednesday morning and many would need more operations in the coming days and weeks.
An adult and 14 schoolchildren have been rushed to hospital after a school bus collided with a lorry on Tuesday afternoon
An adult and 13 children were rushed to hospital, with 10 children suffering ‘serious traumatic’ injuries, Ambulance Victoria said.
“Ten children were taken by ambulance to hospital with serious injuries,” Ambulance Victoria said in a statement.
“Three other children and an adult were taken to hospital in stable condition by ambulance.”
Many students in the hospital will need surgery in the coming days.
“Paramedics remained on site for more than three hours to assess patients.”
The male bus driver suffered minor injuries.
Passers-by helped free some children from the overturned vehicle before emergency services arrived.
Six people were trapped in the mangled wreckage, but they were eventually rescued by firefighters and SES employees.
There were 45 children on the school bus at the time of the accident. Six were trapped in the bus, but they were freed from the mutilated wreckage by emergency services
An adult and 14 children were rushed to hospital, with 10 children seriously injured in the crash
The truck driver, a 49-year-old man from Balliang, near Geelong, is assisting police investigations.
Parents arrived at the crash site looking for their children.
Two air ambulances were called.
Photos show dozens of police officers, Country Fire Authority (CFA) firefighters, paramedics and SES at the site. The CFA and SES try to free children from the bus.
A number of parents at the school expressed their dismay over the crash on social media.
“Thinking of all those affected by this accident, especially our cousins,” one woman wrote on Facebook.
“This is just devastating to our community. My thoughts are with all those involved and their families,” said another.
The collision took place on the corner of Exford and Murphys Rd in Eynesbury, west of Melbourne’s CBD
Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Cruse explained that the bus turned right when it was hit.
“It was traveling west along Exford Road and as it tried to turn right onto Murphy’s Road we believe a lorry may have crashed into the back of the bus,” he said at the scene.
“The bus overturned when it turned right.”
Detectives from the Major Collision Investigation Unit will investigate the circumstances of the accident
Roads in the area remain closed.
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) has urged people to stay away from the area.