TWO KILLED AND 11 INJURED IN
TRAIN COLLISION WITH SCHOOL BUS IN NORTH DAKOTA. BUS DRIVER FAILED TO YIELD TO THE TRAIN. HE IS ONE OF THE DEAD.
Mon, Jan 5, 2015
(Reuters) – Two
people were killed and at least 11 were injured on Monday when a train struck a
school bus in northeastern North Dakota, local media reported.
The collision occurred at about 3:45 p.m. local time,
when the bus failed to yield to an oncoming train at a crossing in Grand Forks,
according to the Grand Forks Herald. The
newspaper said the 62-year-old bus driver and a 17-year-old student were killed
when they were thrown from the bus.
Altru Hospital in Grand Forks said in a statement it had
received nine patients from the collision but did not disclose the extent of
their injuries.
The bus was traveling north on a gravel road when it was
struck on its right-front side by a westbound BNSF train, the Grand Forks
Herald reported. Railroad signs and a stop sign are at the crossing, but there
are no railroad crossing arms, according to the newspaper.
Investigators tell WDAY the school bus driver failed to
yield to the oncoming train.
_________________________________________________
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A school bus failed to yield to
railroad crossing and stop signs and collided with an empty freight train
Monday in North Dakota, killing the bus driver and a 17-year-old student and
injuring 12 other people, the Highway Patrol said.
The accident happened at 3:39 p.m. Monday on a gravel
road about 5 miles east of Larimore in the northeastern part of the state,
about 100 miles north of Fargo. The bus was from the Larimore Public School
District, authorities said.
Roger Abbe, superintendent of schools for the district,
declined to comment when he was contacted at the high school Monday evening.
"All media comments are coming from the Highway
Patrol and that is as much as I can say," Abbe said.
Highway Patrol Lt. Troy Hischer said the bus was heading
north on a county road when it was struck by a westbound BNSF freight train. He
said the train struck the bus on the passenger side, near the doors. The
62-year-old bus driver and a 17-year-old student were ejected from the vehicle
and killed.
The ages of the students on the bus ranged from 5 to 17,
Hischer said. Some of the injured suffered broken bones; three were in
"very serious condition," he said.
Hischer described the scene as chaotic.
"It's high stress on many people from the school
and on all of the first responders," Hischer said in a telephone interview.
"We'll work on that as the night goes."
Hischer said it was a typical rural railroad crossing,
with no crossing arms.
"The train has the right of way," he said.
Hischer said the weather was clear at the time.
Officials with Altru Health System in Grand Forks said
they had received 10 patients, six of whom were admitted and three of whom were
transferred. One patient was released.
Larimore has an enrollment of 201 students in grades
7-12, according to the North Dakota High School Activities Association.
BNSF spokeswoman Amy McBeth said the train involved was
not carrying any cargo at the time. She said there were two BNSF crew members
on the train, and neither was injured.
McBeth said BNSF has sent investigators to the scene.
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven from North Dakota said in a
statement that "our thoughts and prayers" go out to the family
members of those who were killed and injured.
"We pray for the speedy recovery of all who were
injured, and that everyone involved finds solace in the love of their families
and friends," Hoeven said.