Local news is reporting a commercial bus crash on I-94 that is about 2 miles from my home. They say it's on it's side and at least 9 people have been taken to a local hospital, and a medical helicopter has been on the scene.
The bus is from Pellican Rapids carrying teenagers. 1 fatallity. 3 or 4 are in serious or critical condition. 49 on board.
18 people at one hospital, 9 at another.
It's a Richard's bus company bus out of Moorehead, MN.
According to the Pelican Rapids school calendar, the band was to return from a tournament at 10 am. They left on Wed, so it's a good bet
it's the high school band. - One of the stations is reporting that parents from the school district are confirming it was a band trip. Two buses with the band returning from Chicago. Must have driven through the night. There's a slight curve in the highway where this occured. Witnesses said it went airborn and sideways and tipped over. This one is going to be driver fatigue!
Update...
The news reports are saying they're not sure what happened. Then the helicopter pulled back did a long shot. It's completely obvious that the driver fell asleep, drove straight off the curve, probably woke up when he hit the shoulder and started to turn back towards the highway, but then hit an on ramp and went airborn. His attempt to recorrect caused the bus to turn sideways as it hit the on ramp, and when it came back down on the on ramp, it slid off the other side of the ramp into the dirt and tipped over on it's side.
They're still reporting one person was killed, who was not the driver.
http://wcco.com/local/bus.accident.roll.2.692611.html (http://wcco.com/local/bus.accident.roll.2.692611.html)
http://kstp.com/article/stories/S401870.shtml?cat=1 (http://kstp.com/article/stories/S401870.shtml?cat=1)
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=503325 (http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=503325)
From the video, it appears someone may have been crushed under the bus. The wreckers have lifted it slightly and there is blocking under the side, and the rescure personnel are holding a tarp to block the tv camera views.
Ugh! That looks bad. I sure hope only the one person died. So sad that anyone had to die. That stretch of road is real safe. I think you are right Craig about the possibility of what happened. Drive safely!