A school bus carrying high school students to the Stanwich School was involved in a serious crash this week, resulting in over a dozen students and the bus driver being taken to local area hospitals. Though some of the injuries required overnight stays, none were considered life threatening.
It is not yet clear what caused the bus driver to lose control of his vehicle. According to reports it had been headed north on Stanwich Road towards the school’s campus when it suddenly swerved across the left lane and drove into a large tree. As a result the students were thrown forward and the bus driver was trapped in his seat by significant front-end damage. There were no other vehicles involved in the accident.
The accident took place at approximately 3:00 in the afternoon, and as first responders were called, local citizens responded to the scene and assisted in a number of ways. Residents encountered the bus with smoke coming from under the hood, and fearing that there would be a fire or an explosion, assisted in removing students from danger, covered them with blankets, and provided emergency treatment. Two local men that are volunteer firemen and certified EMTs forced open the vehicle’s emergency door and put out the smoke. They also attended to the driver, who told them that he had lost control of the vehicle.
When emergency vehicles arrived they quickly transported the injured to both Greenwich Hospital and Stamford Hospital. Though some of the students were put on life support while being transported to the hospital, most simply suffered bumps and bruises. The worst injuries included head trauma, a fractured hip and broken bones. According to Stanwich Head of School Paul G. Geise, nine of the thirteen students that were injured were released without having to be admitted. “We anticipate that the remaining students will be held overnight for observation and have been advised that one of the students will be hospitalized for treatment of a broken bone.”
A police investigation is underway to try to determine what caused the 74-year old driver to swerve across the road. According to First Selectman Peter Tesei, “Not knowing what to expect, it was reassuring to see that all the town’s emergency service providers were not only on scene but also actively treating those impacted,” he said.