Police investigating a collision involving a school bus that left 13 primary school children and an adult in hospital, are questioning a 48-year-old truck driver from Balliang.The bus, which was taking students home at the end of the school day, was struck by a truck moments after departing Exford Primary School at Eynesbury.
Eynesbury is split between the local government areas of Wyndham and Melton and is located approximately 10 kilometers north-west of Werribee’s CBD.
Ten children were taken to hospital in serious condition with what were described as “serious and traumatic” injuries, including one amputation and another with spinal injuries.
Three students were listed as stable.
This morning seven children remain in hospital, incuding one in intensive care.
Passers-by who witnessed the accident raced to the bus, which had rolled onto its side, to drag injured and screaming children to safety.
Anxious parents raced to the collision site as word of the accident spread, making for chaotic and emotional scenes.
Shocked staff from Exford Primary School, including the principal, ran to help and comfort students and parents.
The Royal Children’s Hospital declared a “Code Brown”, standard practise for a mass casualty event, as a fleet of ambulances began to arrive.
Detectives from the Major Collision Investigation Unit were still at the scene of the incident last night, and the intersection of Exford and Murphys Roads remained blocked early this morning.
The driver of the bus suffered minor injuries, while the truck driver was unharmed.
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