Five hurt in bus crash - police
Fredericton police say emergency responders on scene, ask public to avoid Hilton Road; reports from Chalmers hospital indicate staff are contending with major trauma response
A Fredericton Transit bus rolled over onto its side in a ditch in an accident late Monday afternoon, taking down power lines, police now report, and five people were hurt.
At 5:18 p.m. Monday, the Fredericton Police Force issued an alert through social media about an emergency situation unfolding in the Vanier Industrial Park.
“Fredericton Police Force, Fire Department and Ambulance New Brunswick are responding to a motor-vehicle accident involving a bus in a ditch on Hilton Road,” the advisory stated.
“NB Power are also responding as downed power lines have been reported. Traffic is currently being redirected.”
A video circulating on social media showed the city bus on its side, with downed power poles and lines around it.
In an email to the Fredericton Independent, police spokesperson Sonya Gilks confirmed it was a Fredericton Transit bus involved in the incident.
She said she didn’t have information yet on the condition of passengers.
However, reports from the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital emergency department are that the medical staff are contending with what’s being treated as a major trauma response.
At 6:05 p.m., the police force advised that five people were hurt in the accident.
“Police and first responders remain on scene at the accident on Hilton Road, which involved a City of Fredericton Transit bus, that flipped on its side in a ditch. Five passengers, including the driver, sustained non-life-threatening injuries,” Gilks wrote in an email.
“As crews continue to manage the scene, we remind motorist to please avoid the area and use extreme caution if you must travel in this weather.”
Gilks said she didn’t have information on what possibly caused the accident as yet.
More to come…
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.
Wow, thank goodness I wasn't on there. If the bus driver called it in that it was too icy, they should have had the trucks with the sand on it so that the other bus could be OK to use. But if the weather is going to happen again with warm temps and then freezing rain then rain, then busses should be off until the roads get better. If people take busses and you know it's going to be like this please don't go out. I am happy that no one was killed. Praying for the bus driver and the passengers to heal fast.
Yeah, I couldn't how believe how many different emergency vehicles were on the scene!