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Two children remain in hospital for observation after a crash that saw a school bus roll over off a road in rural Saskatchewan.
According to the RCMP, the school bus collided with an SUV at the intersection of two gravel roads just south of Rockglen at around 3:45 p.m., leading the bus to roll into a ditch while it was carrying nine children age 16 and under.
The RCMP said the children on the bus attended Rockglen School, and all nine of them were treated for “various injuries” after the crash. The driver of the bus also suffered minor injuries in the crash, police said, while the two men in the SUV were unhurt.
While the investigation has just begun, police said alcohol wasn’t a factor in the crash.
Ryan Boughen, director of education for Prairie South School Division, said students, staff members, and families were left a little shaken after the crash.
He added that the majority of the children who were injured were sent home with just bumps and bruises. Four of the injured students were taken to a nearby hospital, and two have since been released.
“It is a blessing. It could have been worse, so students and families are doing the best they can right now dealing with that,” he said.
Boughen said the division has been offering support to students and families who are struggling.
“It is a tragic event,” he said. “Regrettably, these things happen from time to time.”
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Erwin Jackson, Rockglen’s mayor and fire chief, said his community is showing support to the families impacted by the crash.
“They are checking in on each other and making sure they are all OK, giving what help they can,” the mayor said.
Jackson said he’s spoken to firefighters who were at the crash scene. While he said the response went well, it was a tough situation for some of the firefighters, who are parents.
“It will be affecting some of them because some of them had some kids on the bus,” he said. “You do what you can… You take care of your family and take care of one another.”
According to STARS, a helicopter ambulance responded promptly to the area and took one patient to Regina for further care.
“It takes us about 16 minutes to get the blades going and get up in the air,” said Darcy McKay, the provincial director of operations for Saskatchewan. “However, when we heard there was a number of patients, we decided to bring our transport position. A nurse, paramedic and physician team responded out to Assiniboia. (The injured) were all transported to Assiniboia, so we diverted and landed in Assiniboia.”
McKay said STARS only sent the one helicopter to Assiniboia, but pre-alerted the Saskatoon base just in case more help was needed.
McKay said he couldn’t discuss the extent of the injuries suffered by those on the bus because of patient confidentiality, but said the patient who was taken to hospital in Regina needed care that wasn’t available in Assiniboia.
He thanked all of the first responders who helped at the crash site and in the aftermath.
Rockglen, a community of about 400, is located south of Moose Jaw near the U.S. border.
–with files from Abby Zieverink, Shane Clausing and The Canadian Press