A school bus carrying about 40 pupils to an elementary school crashed into a ditch in rural Oxford County on Wednesday morning, sending four children to hospital, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Shortly before 9 a.m., Oxford OPP say officers, firefighters and paramedics were called to a single-vehicle collision on Old Stage Road in Norwich Township, which runs east-west through a rural area south of Woodstock.
Four children were taken to hospital with minor injuries, police said, adding that no other injuries were reported.
In an email to The Free Press, officials with the Thames Valley District school board said the bus was transporting students to Woodstock’s East Oxford Central public school and that families of all students on board had been contacted.
“We appreciate the quick response of the bus operator and emergency services and we will continue to follow up with the school community as needed,” board officials said.
A replacement bus was sent by Southwestern Ontario Student Transportation Services, the school board added.
OPP Const. Randi Crawford, who was not at the scene, told The Free Press that the children of different ages on the bus “demonstrated a lot of bravery and teamwork” after the crash.
“The kids helped each other out (of the bus) and then there were good Samaritans that popped by to make sure everyone was okay,” Crawford said, adding some kids will need support after the scare.
OPP Sgt. Ed Sanchuk also spoke about the crash in a video posted to social media.
“I understand that some of our first responders, firefighters and paramedics may have had children on that bus and, as a father, your heart sinks when you see something like this first thing in the morning,” he said.
“You don’t anticipate this. The good news is that there are only minor injuries to report.”
The investigation was ongoing and updates would be provided as they become available, police said.
Old Stage Road was closed between Middletown Line and Old 14 Line but has since re-opened, police said. Drivers were earlier asked to avoid the area and beware of freezing rain, which was making roads slippery and icy, Sanchuk said.