Powerful act by police for traumatized children in school bus accident – after students suffered life-changing injuries, including a child who lost both arms
- Police follow school bus to reassure students after accident
- Lorry driver charged over horrific Melbourne bus incident
- Ten children were injured on their way home from school
- Several will require full or partial amputations
Elementary school children traumatized by this week’s horror bus crash have been escorted to campus by police in moving scenes.
Pupils at Exford Primary School suffered horrific injuries on Tuesday afternoon when a lorry collided with their school bus in Eynesbury, near Melton, west of Melbourne.
The students’ injuries included shattered limbs, severe cuts from shards of glass, and spinal injuries.
Three children underwent surgery to amputate injured hands and limbs, with one student losing both arms.
In a moving act to reassure traumatized schoolchildren, police tracked the Exford Primary School bus (pictured) on Thursday morning to make students feel safe
On Thursday morning, police were seen escorting the school bus to reassure the students.
Images show how the police van drives to school close behind the bus.
Lorry driver Jamie Gleeson was charged with four counts of dangerous driving on Wednesday, where he was seriously injured in the accident.
The 49-year-old father of two from Balliang, near Geelong, suffered minor injuries when his truck collided with the bus.
Melbourne Magistrates Court was heard telling police he saw a ‘sudden flicker of light or sun’ before colliding with the school bus.
Gleeson returned negative blood tests for both drugs and alcohol and was granted bail. He will return to court on October 18.
In Tuesday’s collision in Eynesbury, Melbourne (pictured) between the school bus and lorry, 10 children from Exford Primary School – aged five to 11 – suffered a range of injuries
On Thursday, the bus driver’s father, Robert, told 7News he was devastated and his son was struggling with what had happened.
“He’s a pretty soft young guy and he cares a lot about people. I think he’s just going to have to endure this like everyone else will,” he said.
‘He’s pretty broken. This will hang over his head for the rest of his life.’
Lisa Campo, headmistress of Exford Primary School, said she initially thought the students had had a minor accident.
Ms Campo said she and the majority of teaching staff rushed to the scene of the crash after receiving a call from a community member.
“Myself, the deputy director and our staff put our arms around the children. I know we’re not supposed to have kids, but that’s what they need,” she said.
Several children were injured when the bus overturned earlier this week
Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Cruse and Exford Primary School Principal Lisa Campo address the media
Senior Sergeant Paul Lineham of the Major Collision Investigation Unit claimed the bus was attempting to turn right onto another road when it was hit from behind by the lorry.
“That may have reduced the actual impact of the truck itself,” Lineham told 3AW.
“We don’t use the term ‘fortunate’ because of course there is an incredibly unfortunate coincidence, but this had the potential to cause multiple fatalities.”
A GoFundMe page started Friday for the school community and families of the injured children has raised more than $20,000.
