School bus goes off overpass in Huntsville, AL; 4 dead

[Brent]

http://www.whnt.com/Global/story.asp?S=5707284

It's on CNN now, though they don't have the latest numbers.

[dizzyfish]

How awful! My prayers to all those involved in this tragedy.

[SamSagnella]

local NBC affilliate WAFF-TV has live streaming coverage on their site: http://www.waff.com , as does WHNT, linked by Brent above.

[SamSagnella]

I didnt realize at first that the bus actually fell off of a highway overpass! The school district is now confirming that there are at least two deaths, but widespread media reports indicated the number of dead is closer to four. Unfortunately, with an accident of this nature, it's likely that everyone aboard was injured, and that there are a number of significant neck and back injuries. Several prayer vigils have been announced around the Huntsville area for this evening.

[SamSagnella]

<<<Latest summary of headlines as of 115 CST>>>

2 Dead, ~25-30 injured, ~10 critical



AP: "...he (Keith Ward, Huntsville schools spoke.) said the bus was transporting Lee High School students who
attend the Center for Technology in Huntsville, where students can receive special science and math credits.
He said he assumed the bus was leaving the center when the wreck occurred."

AP Photo of the wreck. *warning*

CBS: "One student said the accident seemed to happen in "slow motion."
A car cut off the bus, and the driver tried to dodge, but hit the car anyway.
For a moment, the bus hung on the railing before it fell."

FOXnews: "rescue workers — who arrived on the scene about two to three minutes after the incident —
had to tip the bus upright from its side in order to get the students out."


WAAY: "Huntsville city bus accident involving 30+ people.
The bus fell 30+ feet. Lee High School Students involved.
23 were transported by HEMSI, 11 other by city bus to hospitals.
All students have been transported to Huntsville Hospital main,
and the Women and Children's center and Crestwood Medical."

[JonathanBelles]

wow! prayers to all involved.

[Brent]

2 killed 23 injured. Several very critical. 18 and 17 year old girls were the ones killed.

[GalvestonDuck]

I have to wonder if NBC will still air ER this Thursday. From what I can tell from the previews, it involves a bus going over a cliff. Not sure if it's a school bus or not though. It just seems that, in light of the tragedy, they might choose to pull it for the time being. Then again, after that airplane crash in Lexington, Conan O'Brien still did his "Lost" bit during the Emmy awards.

[Extremeweatherguy]

wow. this is tragic! Especially right before the Thanksgiving holiday. I am surprised I did not hear about this until right now.

[O Town]

Those Yahoo photos were chilling. Prayers going out to the familys. What a horrible accident.

[pojo]

That is a very tragic story. My prayers to the families of those students.

[Brent]

http://www.al.com/huntsvilletimes/breaking/

WOW. Incredible.

[Old-TimeCane]

This brings back memories. I know what these kids and families are going through today. 17 years ago (November 13, 1989) I was in a school bus accident in KY where a dump truck hit us nearly head on, killing my best friend. It's not a fun experience to go through at all.

My thoughts and prayers are certainly going out to those families and friends involved in any way in this tragedy.

[Lindaloo]

I lost my best friend pretty much the same way. Not in a school bus though. We were hit by a dump truck.

[Regit]

NHTSA studies that show seat belts provide no benefit to buses don't take into account instances where the bus flips or becomes airborne, which is a huge oversight.

The federal government should immediately pass a law that cuts funding to states that do not adopt a policy stating that all new school buses will be equipped with seat belts.

Normally, I oppose such laws, but this is a case where the states have proven themselves incompetent. Though, to be fair, they adopt no-seat-belt policies thanks to "studies" put out by the feds.

[Old-TimeCane]

But you have to take all potential accidents into consideration. Not just flips or airborns. In my situation, a seat belt might have helped. In this situation, a seat belt might have helped. But if the bus is burning...

Remember Carollton, KY, May 14, 1988? 27 people died in that bus crash caused by a drunk driver (though it was a church group, not a school). None of them were wearing seatbelts, and none of them died from the crash. They burned to death (you'd be surprised at how fast a bus can burn...a week before the crash I was in, we had an evacuation drill, and we took about 1 1/2 minutes. The bus would be burned in 3, so we were WAY too slow for the drill).

I do respect your opinion, Regit. But I must also disagree. Being one who has been in a bus accident, and reacted, and seen how the other kids reacted, I can't be in favor of seat belts on buses. I'll say this much, as soon as the shaking stopped, the first thing everyone did was get up and go. There was no taking time to think to unbuckle a belt. And that time it takes to think to do that, not in most cases, but in some, can be the time that makes the difference between life and death.

But like I said, that's just me. I fully respect your opinion, too, and you do have a good argument for it

[Brent]

Death toll up to 4.

[GalvestonDuck]

OTC, I remember the Carrollton bus crash and reading the news in the Lexington Herald-Leader. One of the contributing factors to those 27 deaths was the fact that the bus only had a front and rear exit -- no exit windows or roof hatch. Now, Kentucky requires more exits on school buses than any other state (I think it's 11 windows and 2 roof hatches, but I'm not totally certain about that).

[Old-TimeCane]

Death toll up to 4.

That's sad news.

One of the contributing factors to those 27 deaths was the fact that the bus only had a front and rear exit -- no exit windows or roof hatch. Now, Kentucky requires more exits on school buses than any other state (I think it's 11 windows and 2 roof hatches, but I'm not totally certain about that).

That's right. It was the same type of bus that mine that wrecked was, except he Carollton bus ran on gasoline, which also helped to fuel the fire. After the two, KY turned pretty much to the newer flat-nose buses, and they, as you said, do have exits all over the place, including an extra exit door on the driver's side halfway back. I do remember before the newer vehicles came in that they always preached "get off as orderly and quickly as possible, because the bus can burn in 3 minutes." That part always stuck in my mind.