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Drumquin crash: School children taken to hospital after collision | Drumquin crash: School children taken to hospital after collision |
(35 minutes later) | |
Forty-eight people, most of them children, involved in a crash between a school bus and a car in County Tyrone were taken to hospital as a precaution, the Ambulance Service has said. | Forty-eight people, most of them children, involved in a crash between a school bus and a car in County Tyrone were taken to hospital as a precaution, the Ambulance Service has said. |
The crash happened on the Omagh Road in Drumquin on Monday morning. | The crash happened on the Omagh Road in Drumquin on Monday morning. |
Ambulance Service spokesman John McPoland said 48 people were treated at the scene for injuries, but none of these were serious. | Ambulance Service spokesman John McPoland said 48 people were treated at the scene for injuries, but none of these were serious. |
The bus was travelling from Castlederg to secondary schools in Omagh. | |
"The vast majority need to be checked because of their age," he said. | "The vast majority need to be checked because of their age," he said. |
Mr McPoland said six people had "slightly more than minor injuries". | Mr McPoland said six people had "slightly more than minor injuries". |
He said this would have included children who banged their heads off the bus windows, but he said no-one went through any windows. | He said this would have included children who banged their heads off the bus windows, but he said no-one went through any windows. |
'Relatively unscathed' | |
Mr McPoland said three of the 48 patients had been brought to hospital by ambulance service A&E crews due to the nature of their injuries, which although not serious, required further assessment. | Mr McPoland said three of the 48 patients had been brought to hospital by ambulance service A&E crews due to the nature of their injuries, which although not serious, required further assessment. |
The children and the occupants of the car were taken on two Translink buses to the South West Acute Hospital and Altnagelvin Hospital. | The children and the occupants of the car were taken on two Translink buses to the South West Acute Hospital and Altnagelvin Hospital. |
They were accompanied by paramedics. | They were accompanied by paramedics. |
Both the bus and the car ended up on their sides in a field. | |
Local councillor Frankie Donnelly, who visited the scene of the crash, said it was fortunate that "everybody has come out of it relatively unscathed". | |
"On that stretch of road that I travel every day early in the morning, a bright sunny morning, there would be a very low sun there and that may have been a factor in this accident," he said. | |
The Omagh Road has been closed between the Segully Road junction and Drumrawan Road junction. | The Omagh Road has been closed between the Segully Road junction and Drumrawan Road junction. |
The bus involved in the crash was operated by Translink. | The bus involved in the crash was operated by Translink. |
In a statement, the company said: "We can confirm that an incident has occurred involving an Ulsterbus carrying school pupils and a car on the Drumquin Road, County Tyrone, at approximately 8.20am. | In a statement, the company said: "We can confirm that an incident has occurred involving an Ulsterbus carrying school pupils and a car on the Drumquin Road, County Tyrone, at approximately 8.20am. |
"Emergency services were called to the scene and an investigation is under way." | |
Education Minister John O'Dowd said: "My department will be engaging with all schools involved to ascertain if we can be of further assistance and ensure that any help that can be provided will be provided." | |
The Western Education and Library Board said its critical incident response team had been in touch with the schools to offer support. |