School bus carrying special needs kids slams into building in Irvington
IRVINGTON, N.J. (WABC) --
A school bus carrying special needs children crashed into a building
in New Jersey Thursday morning, sending several to the hospital.The wreck happened on Springfield Avenue near the intersection of Sandford Avenue in Irvington.
City officials said the mini school bus was carrying two adults and 11 children, nine of them students aged 10 to 16, who suffered minor injuries including lacerations, broken bones and possible whiplash. The other two kids were the driver's children.
The driver reported that her brakes failed north of the intersection and she lost control, striking a Toyota Rav 4 that was traveling east on Springfield. The driver of the Rav 4 lost control of the vehicle and struck a light pole. The school bus continued on into a liquor store.
"Some kids were bleeding from their mouth, I think someone broke his teeth or something," witness Marie Shenouda said. "And then some their legs, mostly their legs, though a few kids, like about three kids, were screaming from the legs."
Shenouda said the bus driver was noticeably upset and kept repeating that her brakes gave out.
The school bus was heading to Mount Carmel Guild Academy in West Orange.
All of the victims were taken to hospitals, but police say none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening. The SUV's driver was also treated for injuries that weren't life-threatening.
District officials say four students were transported to Beth Israel Hospital, while five went to the UMDNJ.
The cause of the incident remains under investigation.