Some 52 secondary school students had a narrow escape in Co Cork on Monday morning when their school bus overturned on a bend in poor weather conditions and rolled into a field.
Three students were trapped in the bus when it went off the road at Cregg South on the road between Ballyhooly and Fermoy in North Cork at around 8.15am.
The three, including one teenage boy who suffered a suspected broken leg, along with another pupil, were taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital (CUH) for treatment.
CORK: Road between Fermoy and Ballyhooly (known locally as The Back Rd) closed at Foster's Turn following a serious crash. theAA.ie
— AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) September 14, 2015The coach, which was operated by Glenferry Coaches on contract for Bus Éireann, was bringing students from Rathcormac and Ballyhooly to three secondary schools in Fermoy.
It is understood the front windscreen of the bus smashed as the bus left the road and rolled into a nearby field, but the driver and many of the students were able to exit via the main door.
Other students towards the rear of the bus were able to climb out through a skylight in the roof, but some others were trapped when they could not open a rear emergency door.
The emergency services were quickly on the scene and gardaí were able to clear a tree branch blocking the rear emergency door.
A number of ambulances brought the injured to Cork University Hospital (CUH) while a replacement Bus Éireann bus brought the other students to Fermoy.
The majority of the students on the bus were students at Coláiste an Chraoibhín in Fermoy while others were attending Loreto Convent and St Colman’s College in Fermoy.
‘Very lucky’
Coláiste an Chraoibhín principal Christy Healy said staff and teachers from all three schools assisted at the scene.
“We are very lucky they nobody was seriously injured. Four students were brought by ambulance from the scene to Cork University Hospital where they are being treated,” he said.
“We immediately established an emergency response centre in our PE hall in Coláiste an Chraoibhín. Counselling services have been made available to the students involved.
“All students on the bus were treated for shock and have been taken home by their parents,” he said before thanking the gardaí, the HSE and Fire Brigade for their rapid response.
Bus Éireann also paid tribute to those who responded to the accident and said that it was co-operating fully with gardaí investigating the cause of the crash.
In statement, the bus company said a vehicle sub-contracted for its school transport services was involved in a crash at 8.20am, which resulted in the bus leaving the road.
It said the bus was operated by Glenferry Coaches and was en route to several post-primary schools in Fermoy.
It said the bus had 52 students on board at the time of the crash and driver and all the school pupils were able to make their way off the bus with the assistance of the emergency services.
It is understood that driving conditions were poor at the time following torrential rain overnight which led to surface water on various parts of the low-lying road.
Among those on board the bus was Laura Cronin, who told Cork’s 96FM she got a terrible fright when the bus rolled over.
“Everybody dropped to one side - the bus driver broke the glass and everybody was able to get out - I was really scared,” she told the radio station.
Eileen Gowen said that her daughter Caoimhe was one of those taken to hospital suffering from some bruising while her son was also on the bus.
“She is gone to CUH - I think she has bruising to her lip and her neck and I’m just taking my other little boy Jeff home now - he’s shook, he’s shaken,” she told Cork’s 96FM.
