“We missed the disaster,” breathes Denis Pype, regional councilor for Hauts-de-France.
If the tree had not stopped the school bus, it would have ended up at the bottom of the ravine with undoubtedly a much heavier toll.
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Around 7 a.m., this Monday morning, a school bus traveling from Grandvilliers to Beauvais left the road on departmental 119, in the Briot La Grange woods, ending its journey in a ravine.
On board, 20 high school students leaving for Beauvais where they were to join the Paul-Langevin, Jeanne-Hachette, Jacobins and Saint-Vincent-de-Paul high schools.
Transported to hospitals in Beauvais, Clermont and Amiens
“Fortunately, there were only very minor injuries suffering from bruises,” reports the regional advisor, present on site in the early hours of the morning.
Seven were still transported to the hospitals of Beauvais, Clermont and Amiens (Somme).
The other young people, unharmed, were able to be picked up by their families.
The driver was also taken to hospital.
“The driver is doing very well when we know that the vehicle hit the tree in the face,” emphasizes Denis Pype.
There was even a large branch that got embedded in the top of the cabin without, fortunately, penetrating the passenger compartment.
Here again, the consequences could have been much more dramatic.
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As soon as the alert was given, a major device was deployed.
Fifty-three Oise firefighters, 23 vehicles, gendarmes and departmental services were on site.
The road was closed in both directions while the school bus was cleared.
“Everyone must have had a huge bout of stress”
At this time, the causes of the accident remain undetermined.
“The driver was used to making this journey,” explains Denis Pype.
Perhaps she swerved slightly to let a car pass and on a wet road, one wheel on the shoulder is enough to lose control of her vehicle.
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The regional advisor recalled that 200,000 young people are transported in 3,000 school buses to transport young high school students to their schools.
“It is in cases like this that we realize the need to wear our seat belt even in a bus,” recalls Denis Pype.
The disaster ended well and everyone must have had a huge bout of stress.
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