Worse thing happened outside of my apartment this morning

[TCJohnson]

Man, it was terrible.

A garbage truch carrying recycling collided head on with a school bus right outside of my apartment. When I saw it the bus was still in the road. The windshield and roof on the driver's side was completely smashed in and the driver's chair was out in the middle of the road. There were engine parts and glass scattered all over the street.

I learned on the news 1 child was killed, 2 children are in critical condition, both drivers were in critical condition and 12 children were taking to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Worse thing I have ever seen.

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/homepage/hp4-18-05a.jpg That is my apartment in the background.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62496-2005Apr18.html

I hope the other two children and those drivers will be ok.

[Crowley]

Jesus...

I hope they're okay too... what a terrible thing to have happen.

[anthony!]

Yikes!

Is there an official reason why school buses don't have safety belts? At least, they didn't when I went to school.

[AllisterH]

Wow, I just saw this on CNN. CNN is saying that 3 ar ein critical condition.

[Briareos]

Yikes!

Is there an official reason why school buses don't have safety belts? At least, they didn't when I went to school.

They are often used as weapons by students. I remember a few years back A garbage rod used in the hydrolics of the back of a garbage truck (used to move the back to dumb the garbage) shot out of the truck and tore through the side of a school bus killing a couple of kids. Also I was in a school bus when I was 7 or 8 and we hit a kid who walked in front of it just as we were leaving school. He turned out ok (the bus wasn't going all that fast at the time if i remember right since it was just as soon as we left the school).

[TCJohnson]

It made CNN? DIdn't realize that.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/04/18/bus.crash.ap/index.html

In that pick, that little pathway with the flowers leads to my front door...the sight I woke up to this morning.

From talking to my neighbors, the school bus had the right of way. I hope the driver pulls through.

[TCJohnson]

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/images/I62815-2005Apr18L

[Lunar Daydreamer]

My best wishes to all those concerned

[anthony!]

Why do I have a feeling there is the child's body behind that tarp?

A few years a go my sister and I were driving on the freeway and noticed an 18-wheeler suddenly stop.

Turns out it had just hit a 90 year old man trying to cross the freeway at 70 mph. Let's just say what my sis and I saw afterwards can't really be described as human. Definately one of the morst horrible things I've ever seen. I remember looking up the incident on the net afterwards and I saw pictures of lots of tarp and coverings— now I know what they are for. :(

[Corrina]

They are often used as weapons by students.

That, and it would cost a lot of money and no one wants to pay for it.

In New Jersey, there's a school bus seat belt law. My oldest didn't have any problems obeying it, neither did the other kids because in this day and age, kids are *used* to being strapped to a seat in a moving vehicle.

But they're expensive and most people figure "well, I didn't use them as a kid and I'm fine..."

I think there also might be an issue with lap belts and small children also.

The weapons thing, not so much, because the kids learn not to use bookpacks and other heavy objects so they learn that about the belts too.

Really horrible what happened, TC. It's a parent's worse nightmare: you put your kid safely on a bus and they don't make it to school. I hated the fact the school bus my oldest two rode on in TN took a route over a railroad crossing that didn't have gates or signals. The sight distance sucked on it, too.

Later found out that accidents at unmarked railroad crossings are more common than you'd think (see NY Times series of articles for which they rec'd a Pulitzer nomination this year). I'm glad I didn't know that then and even more glad we don't leave near there anymore.

[SuperGodGinrai]

GAH! that is a horrible sight.
Hope everyone in there who are still alive will be ok.

[GremlinClr]

Wow, looking at that picture I'm suprised the bus driver is still alive.

[matterconsumer]

Very, very sad to see...and hear...

Condolences!

[Ian Boothby]

shit, so sorry to hear that.

[TCJohnson]

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - A school bus carrying children to an elementary school collided with a trash truck Monday, killing one child and injuring 14 others.

Lilibeth Gomez, 9, a third-grader, was killed in the head-on crash near a busy intersection, said Arlington Schools Superintendent Robert G. Smith. Her younger sister, whose name was not released, also was on the bus but was not seriously injured, school officials said.

"Our hearts go out to the parents of the child who died," Smith said.

Two of the children remained hospitalized Monday afternoon at Children's Hospital. A boy, 7, was in critical condition, and a girl, 11, was in serious condition.

The other injured children were released to their parents after being treated for minor injuries at Virginia Hospital Center.

The bus driver, a 37-year-old woman, underwent surgery for non-life-threatening injuries and remained hospitalized. Her name was not released. She had been driving for Arlington County since 1994 and had an "unblemished" record, Smith said.


This is the amazing part!!

Witnesses told police the driver was thrown from the vehicle, but still managed to get up and help the injured children, said Arlington County Police Chief Doug Scott

Dear God Almighty! It is a minor miracle that she survived that crash....but then to get up and help others...that is just amazing! I am so sorry about the girl who died, and pray for the children still in critical, but I am glad that bus driver pulled through.

[Jeff Brady]

Unbelievable. Hail to the bus driver.

:(

[Phoney Bone]

This is the amazing part!!



Dear God Almighty! It is a minor miracle that she survived that crash....but then to get up and help others...that is just amazing! I am so sorry about the girl who died, and pray for the children still in critical, but I am glad that bus driver pulled through.


That is truly a miracle and a testament to the Human Spirit.

[Pixies Chick]

What an awful tragedy. TC, that's so sad.

[Red Berens]

Hey TC, how are you doing? Unfortunately in my job, I have to deal with this sort of thing on an all too frequent basis. Sometimes I forget that 'regular' people see these things too, and may not know how to deal with it. Don't be a tough guy and keep it inside. If it's bothering you, let someone know. I've been a cop for 13 years, and I've learned it's ok to be troubled by this sort of thing.

[JeffreyWKramer]

Man, that sucks. Sorry you saw that, and even more sorry for those injured, and the families of the injured and killed.

A horrible tragedy.

[TCJohnson]

Nah, I am ok. I didn't see the accident...by the time I got out there the children were already on their way to the hospital. I was just shocked that it happened right outside my apartment, and just really saddened about that girl who died. Actually, I feel really bad for the girl's sister who was also in the bus..and her parents.

Just never seen anything like that before except in pictures. On my mind a lot yesterday but I'm good. thanks :)

[Cam63]

I'm sorry for all those concerned. It's a terrible thing to have happened, even moreso as most of the victims are kids.

[Phoney Bone]

My heart breaks for the parents of the children.

[ssurly]

Sadly, another child (a 9-year-old-boy I believe) passed away yesterday.
They still do not know the cause of the accident.

I hate these type of "stories". Terrible, terrible, terrible.
David

[Cam63]

Damn. I hope the others pull through OK.