School bus crashes in Ham Lake (MN); 4 critical among the many injured

[krispos42]

A school bus accident in Ham Lake this morning has left about two dozen elementary school students and other people hurt, four of them critically, authorities and school officials said.

Jim Adams and Chao Xiong, By JIM ADAMS and CHAO XIONG
Last update: December 08, 2006 – 2:10 PM

A school bus accident in Ham Lake this morning has left about two dozen elementary school students and other people hurt, four of them critically, authorities and school officials said.

The Anoka County Sheriff's Office said of those hurt, in critical condition were two students and the drivers of the two other vehicles involved in the accident at Highway 65 and Constance Boulevard shortly before 9 a.m.

<snip>

The bus was northbound on Highway 65 and attempting to turn right at Constance, when the driver said his brakes failed. The bus jumped the median and struck more than one vehicle before hitting a semaphore pole and coming to a stop.

The bus struck the SUV on the driver's side, taking the brunt of the accident.

<snip>

Anoka-Hennepin School District spokesman Brett Johnson said at least three children were being evaluated at Twin Cities hospitals with top-tier trauma centers. North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale said it has admitted nine patients, with two arriving by air ambulance and the others by ground ambulance.

North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale said it has treated 11 patients from the accident. Three children from the bus have been admitted and are in fair condition. The driver of one of the other vehicles was in critical condition. The remainder do not require hospitalization.

Jenkins said that among the critically hurt was a second-grade boy who was sitting near the front of the bus. Also critically hurt were another student, a girl, and the driver of a station wagon caught up in the accident, Jenkins said.

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http://www.startribune.com/462/story/862752.html


Here's a picture; it's from the Pioneer Press.



And a link to the story; they have a map.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/16195542.htm

They had to use the Air Care medical helicopter. NEVER a good sign!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

1. How terrible

I wonder what could have caused the brakes to fail so suddenly?

[Beausoir]

2. Bust driver said he hit the brakes and they were rock hard.

Among the critical is a 2nd grader.

So tragic. Hang in there little kids!

[ninkasi]

3. Of all of the tragedies I read about

Those involving little kids are the worst. I've been upset for the last couple of days anyway, about James Kim's effort to save his family, and reading about this only makes me cry more. So many things happen anyway, why compound the grief with wars?