bad wreck in liberty

[stevieray]

a school bus, over thirty kids injured, two possible fatalities...

elementary kids..... :( :( :(

[Mr. Kotter]

Wow. How horrible... :shake:

[Bowser]

That is a parents' worst nightmare. Do you know the location of the wreck?

[stevieray]

152 and 291

[Bowser]

152 and 291

That is a busy intersection, for sure.

[Bob Dole]

School Bus Overturns In Liberty

POSTED: 8:41 am CDT May 9, 2005
UPDATED: 9:09 am CDT May 9, 2005

LIBERTY, Mo. -- A school bus loaded with students overturned Monday at Highways 152 and 291.

Video


LIVE: Watch KMBC's Coverage


Dozens of emergency vehicles were called to the scene. The school bus was reported on its side.

No details on possible injuries have been released. It was also not immediately clear how the accident happened. KMBC's Dan Weinbaum reported that there were at least two vehicles involved in the accident.

The Liberty School District urged concerned parents to go to the school's administration center at 650 Conister. They can also call (816) 736-5300.

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/4465581/detail.html

[Bob Dole]

The video doesn't look pretty. Reporting that at least 2 Life Flight helicopters have departed the scene.

[Bob Dole]

It's on Fox News at the moment, too.

[morphius]

Thats just something nobody wants to see.

[Bob Dole]

The bus was headed to Ridgeview Elementary.

[stevieray]

The bus was headed to Ridgeview Elementary.

bus #80

[mlyonsd]

Awful, awful news.

[stevieray]

drivers of the two cars involved are dead. bus went into intersection, don't know why yet.

[Dartgod]

They said Children's Mercy was notified to expect 25 trauma patients. Also, the two possible fatalities were like from the other vehicles involved, not from the bus.

[Dartgod]

KCWolfman is from Liberty. Does he have elementary school-aged children?

[stevieray]

KCWolfman is from Liberty. Does he have elementary school-aged children?


no.

[Bowser]

Last Friday, there was a fatalality wreck on 152 highway east of Liberty when an elderly lady was going west bound in the east bound lanes. Terrible.

[cookster50]

Radio said the other drivers died, no death of kids, but there are injuries.

[tomahawk kid]

I live about three minutes from that intersection.

I've got a bad feeling that some of the kids from my neighborhood were on that bus.

This is really scary.....

[Lzen]

Radio said the other drivers died, no death of kids, but there are injuries.


Still bad all around. Have they said who's at fault here?

[cookster50]

Radio made it sound like the bus ran a red light. Someone at work said they got a call from their wife and the wife says the bus driver had a heart attack.

[chief4life]

my hopes and prayers are with the familys and the children that are hurt

[Bob Dole]

Radio made it sound like the bus ran a red light. Someone at work said they got a call from their wife and the wife says the bus driver had a heart attack.

Channel 9 mentioned reports that the bus swerved and hit other vehicles.

[tyton75]

My sister has 3 kids that go to that school.. just found out that none of them are on that bus...thankfully

I live about a mile west of there...scary when something terrible like this strikes so close to home.

[cookster50]

Dang, watching live news on the net, thekansascitychannel.com

The bus completely took out one of the vehicles.

[patteeu]

Last Friday, there was a fatalality wreck on 152 highway east of Liberty when an elderly lady was going west bound in the east bound lanes. Terrible.

I suppose I could be wrong, but as far as I know, there is no 152 east of Liberty. I'm assuming you mean west of Liberty.

[Bowser]

I suppose I could be wrong, but as far as I know, there is no 152 east of Liberty. I'm assuming you mean west of Liberty.

Durr. I meant west of Liberty. She was going west in the east bound lane.

Thanks, eagle eyes.......

[patteeu]

Durr. I meant west of Liberty. She was going west in the east bound lane.

Thanks, eagle eyes.......

I only noticed it because it's in my neck of the woods and I was trying to visualize where you were talking about. No big deal.

[eazyb81]

I've always thought that it was weird that a school bus didn't even have seat belts. Are the big seats supposed to protect children in an accident?

[Hydrae]

That is terrible. Prayers for all involved.

While I was living in Flagstaff we had a bus roll on the first day of school one year. The driver was going up the highway, reached for her coke, went off the edge of the road and over corrected causing the bus to roll into the median. Fortunately noone died but one kid wound up a quadraplegic from it. Scary, sad stuff when this kind of thing happens to our kids.

[Eleazar]

Wow, I live not far from there. I don't like that intersection much either, people are always running the light, can be a dangerous situation. Doesn't sound like that is applicable in this case, just throwing it out there. Hopefully the kids are ok and there are no additional fatalities

[Coogs]

Here is a piece from the FOX4 website...

School Bus Crash
Liberty, MO --- A school bus crash in Liberty leaves two people dead, and more than 20 children hurt. It happened at 291 Hwy. & 152 Hwy. around 8:30 a.m. Police say the bus was traveling down hill when it slammed into an SUV and a car...that were stopped at a stop light. The drivers of both vehicles died. The school bus landed in a grassy area, slightly on its side. 23 students were taken to area hospitals. Right now, three children are in serious condition, another child is in critical condition. Another 15 children were not hurt and released to their parents. The bus was headed to Ridgeview Elementary School when the crash happened.

The names of the students on the bus can be found at www.liberty.k12.mo.us.

[patteeu]

Here is a piece from the FOX4 website...

School Bus Crash
Liberty, MO --- A school bus crash in Liberty leaves two people dead, and more than 20 children hurt. It happened at 291 Hwy. & 152 Hwy. around 8:30 a.m. Police say the bus was traveling down hill when it slammed into an SUV and a car...that were stopped at a stop light. The drivers of both vehicles died. The school bus landed in a grassy area, slightly on its side. 23 students were taken to area hospitals. Right now, three children are in serious condition, another child is in critical condition. Another 15 children were not hurt and released to their parents. The bus was headed to Ridgeview Elementary School when the crash happened.

The names of the students on the bus can be found at www.liberty.k12.mo.us.

I recognized a couple of the names on that list. Hopefully all the kids will be ok. I feel sorry for the people in the other cars though. Their tragedies will be overlooked a little bit due to the natural concern for the kids.

[teedubya]

man, this sucks... so true that life is fragile, and when you get in your car/bus for the morning commute... hard to know if your number has been called to come home.

Unreal that we never truly know when its our time.

[ptlyon]

The school bus landed in a grassy area, slightly on its side.

How can a school bus be only slightly on it's side?

[dave0320]

The kids were from Northhampton.

[Idahored]

man, this sucks... so true that life is fragile, and when you get in your car/bus for the morning commute... hard to know if your number has been called to come home.

Unreal that we never truly know when its our time.


That is for sure. Good to know where I'm headed when that time comes... :)

[BIG_DADDY]

That sucks.

[patteeu]

The kids were from Northhampton.

Some might have been, but one of the names I recognize from the list lived in that neighborhood behind the new McDonalds on 291 I believe (at least up until a couple of years ago) and I know a couple of kids from North Hampton who weren't on the list.

I hesitated mentioning the neighborhood in my last post because I didn't want anyone who knows kids in that neighborhood to freak out. Since North Hampton was mentioned though, I thought I should spill the beans. It's worth noting that there are several busses that cover that part of the Liberty School district though. There are at least two different busses that cover North Hampton.

[bkkcoh]

I've always thought that it was weird that a school bus didn't even have seat belts. Are the big seats supposed to protect children in an accident?


That is the theory, creates a compartment for the kids that should and in most cases, does protect them from injury (But there are always exceptions).

[bkkcoh]

<img src="http://mas.scripps.com/KSHB/2005/05/09/buscrash_d.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px; border: 0" alt="" />

http://kctv.static.worldnow.com/images/3318136_BG2.jpg

From KSHB web site..

A Liberty school bus headed for Ridgeview Elementary School crashed at the intersection of Highway 291 and Highway 152 Monday morning.

A witness reports the bus was southbound on Highway 291 and collided with at least two cars as it went through the intersection at Highway 152.

38 students and the driver were aboard the bus at the time of the crash. 24 students and the driver were taken to area hospitals.

Eight of those students were taken to Children’s Mercy Hospital, two are currently in critical condition.
Two people died in the accident.

Police, fire, and EMS crews from several cities responded to the crash. Two helicopter ambulances also responded.


Liberty School District officials are asking parents of children who might be on the bus to go to direct their questions to District Headquarters at 650 Conistor.

[BigRedChief]

National news now. cnn.com:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/09/school.bus.accident.ap/index.html

[Demonpenz]

this story brings me a queezy feeling in my stomach because everyone the focus seems to be on the kids and not the people who died

[Coogs]

Here is the kctv5 link. Contains 9 pictures of scene in slide show. Warning! Pretty intense/graphic photos!

http://www.kctv.com/

[Mastashake]

this story brings me a queezy feeling in my stomach because everyone the focus seems to be on the kids and not the people who died

People think life is more precious when it still involves innocence. Whether it does or not I dunno.

I still say Schoolbuses are solid for feeling like a tin can. Do they make kids wear their seatbelt on them, or is it still like old times?

Mastashake

[KCWolfman]

KCWolfman is from Liberty. Does he have elementary school-aged children?
Nope, just out.

2 kids are in ICU, but all others seem okay.

I pray for all families involved.

Now the legislation of school bus seat belts will be raised once more.

[CASHMAN]

Donate Blood for Bus Crash Victims
Kansas City, MO --- The Community Blood Center has received several phone calls wanting to know where people can donate blood. Here is a list of locations and hours if you would like to help.


Blue Springs
1124 West 40 Highway
816-224-0728
Mon., Wed., Thurs.: 9:30am-6pm
Tues. & Fri.: 8am-4pm
Sun: Closed at.: 8am-2pm (1st, 3rd, 5th Saturdays)

Gladstone
7287 N. Oak TrafficwayGladstone, MO 64118
816-468-9813
Mon.-Fri: 9am-7pm
Sat.: 8am-2pm (1st, 3rd, 5th Saturdays)
Sun: Closed

Kansas City
4040 MainKansas City, MO
816-753-4040
Mon. & Fri.: 7am-4pm
Tues.-Thurs.: 7am-7pm
Sat.: 8am-noon
Sun: Closed

Olathe
1463 E. 151st St.
Olathe, KS 66062
913-829-3724
Mon. & Fri.: 8am-4pm
Sat.: 8am-noon (1st, 3rd, 5th Saturdays)
Sun: Closed

Overland Park
10568 Metcalf
Overland Park, KS 66212
913-339-9267
Mon. & Thurs.: 9am-7pm
Tues. & Wed.: 9am-5:30pm
Fri.: 7am-4pm
Sat.: 8am-2pm
Sun: Closed
St. Joseph
3122 Frederick
St. Joseph, MO64506
816-232-6791
Mon.-Thurs.: 7:30am-6:30pm
Tues.-Thurs.: 10 am-7pm
Fri. & Sat.: 8am-2pm

www.bloodislife.org

[beavis]

How can a school bus be only slightly on it's side?
From what I saw, it was tilted, but not completely turned over.

[Pants]

So, is it known what caused the crash?

[beavis]

So, is it known what caused the crash?
They're supposed to have a news conference at 3, but I kinda doubt they are going to get into those kind of specifics yet. We'll see.

[patteeu]

this story brings me a queezy feeling in my stomach because everyone the focus seems to be on the kids and not the people who died

There's plenty of people to feel sorry for in this situation. Can you imagine how the bus driver is going to feel? I sure hope alcohol or something along those lines isn't involved or they will be crucified. It's going to be tough enough to deal with even if it was a completely innocent cause (e.g. heart attack).

[morphius]

Man, and both of the cars involved are very much family cars, has to be just horrible right now for their families.

Hope those two kids in ICU make it okay.

On a happier note, I mentioned something two weeks about my wifes friend wrecking his new bike without a helmet and suffering from level 5 brain swelling and they didn't think he was going to make it. Well, he is out of ICU, he seems to remember everyone and is already mouthing words, should be able to talk once they take the tube out of his throat. He still has a long way to go with rehab and all, but it is looking pretty good.

[ptlyon]

This past winter we had a child that slipped on the ice and under the school bus and the driver drove off crushing her head.

I would hate to be that guy having to live with that for the rest of my life.

[patteeu]

This past winter we had a child that slipped on the ice and under the school bus and the driver drove off crushing her head.

I would hate to be that guy having to live with that for the rest of my life.

Yep, I knew a busdriver that had an accident like that and she was never the same again. It really tore her up even though it could have happened to just about anyone.

[Rain Man]

There's plenty of people to feel sorry for in this situation. Can you imagine how the bus driver is going to feel? I sure hope alcohol or something along those lines isn't involved or they will be crucified. It's going to be tough enough to deal with even if it was a completely innocent cause (e.g. heart attack).

Maybe I'll change my mind if I think about it more, but there's a part of me that thinks it would almost be better if alcohol or drugs was involved. The blame then becomes very easy to assign, and the person who's responsible then doesn't have the conflict of being an innocent who just made a one-time mistake.

[patteeu]

Maybe I'll change my mind if I think about it more, but there's a part of me that thinks it would almost be better if alcohol or drugs was involved. The blame then becomes very easy to assign, and the person who's responsible then doesn't have the conflict of being an innocent who just made a one-time mistake.

From any perspective but the driver's, I can see what you are saying. I was looking at it more from the point of view of the driver (partly because I knew that driver who had a fatal accident).

[RINGLEADER]

Just terrible news.

I've never understood why there was such reluctance to seat belts on school buses either...I saw a video once from inside a school bus that went off the road and kids were just thrown out of their seats and tossed around everywhere.

[bkkcoh]

Just terrible news.

I've never understood why there was such reluctance to seat belts on school buses either...I saw a video once from inside a school bus that went off the road and kids were just thrown out of their seats and tossed around everywhere.


But to be devils advocate, how ticked would people be if 25 - 30 would die because of the bus driver not being able to get the kids out of the seatbelts. There really aren't a lot of bus vs other vehicle accidents in which the kids are anything but scraped up..... An accident in which kids are actually hurt are the definite exception. :toast: thank your own God or deity here.... :Poke:

[chiefs4me]

My heart goes out to those involved, has anybody heard anything else about this?

[Coogs]

OK, so I am watching the local news about this last night, and they say it may take "MONTHS" to figure out what caused this accident. I'm thinking... The bus driver is alive and well, why not ask her?

If she had died, I could see it maybe taking months to figure out.

[siberian khatru]

OK, so I am watching the local news about this last night, and they say it may take "MONTHS" to figure out what caused this accident. I'm thinking... The bus driver is alive and well, why not ask her?

If she had died, I could see it maybe taking months to figure out.

It takes awhile to recover the black box.

[Dartgod]

OK, so I am watching the local news about this last night, and they say it may take "MONTHS" to figure out what caused this accident. I'm thinking... The bus driver is alive and well, why not ask her?

If she had died, I could see it maybe taking months to figure out.
I find it odd that the cause is hardly even being discussed on the news. Is there some sort of cover up or what?

[Eleazar]

I find it odd that the cause is hardly even being discussed on the news. Is there some sort of cover up or what?

All that I heard was complete speculation, but that federal investigators were here today.

Someone on the news said there weren't any skidmarks, and last night I went through the same lanes at that intersection on my bike and I didn't see any skids either. Doesn't seem like the bus was braking.

Perhaps it was brake failure, hopefully it was something that can be traced and corrected in the future and not just some freak accident.

[Dartgod]

All that I heard was complete speculation, but that federal investigators were here today.

Someone on the news said there weren't any skidmarks, and last night I went through the same lanes at that intersection on my bike and I didn't see any skids either. Doesn't seem like the bus was braking.

Perhaps it was brake failure, hopefully it was something that can be traced and corrected in the future and not just some freak accident.
Federal investigators? Do they normally do that for traffic accidents? Is it possible the bus driver did this on purpose? I'm not suggesting she did, I wouldn't do that, just some thoughts running in my mind is all.

[Eleazar]

Federal investigators? Do they normally do that for traffic accidents? Is it possible the bus driver did this on purpose? I'm not suggesting she did, I wouldn't do that, just some thoughts running in my mind is all.

Well, they were from the NTSB I thought. I'm just repeating something I heard on the local news, so don't quote me but I think that's what they said.

I wondered if maybe she fell asleep or was diabetic or something. Obviously you want to give her the benefit of the doubt so I hope none of that is true.

[ExtremeChief]

Last night on KMBC a KCPD officer said the drivers health was not thought to be a cause of the accident.

NTSB is called in because it was a commercial vehicle that carried passengers. Apparently that is the norm from what I gathered from the news.

KMBC also said that the bus had just passed a recent safety inspection.

[Coogs]

All that I heard was complete speculation, but that federal investigators were here today.

Someone on the news said there weren't any skidmarks, and last night I went through the same lanes at that intersection on my bike and I didn't see any skids either. Doesn't seem like the bus was braking.

Perhaps it was brake failure, hopefully it was something that can be traced and corrected in the future and not just some freak accident.

Well, couldn't you just ask the driver if the brakes failed? If she says yes, check it out. If the brakes are fine, then ask the driver if she cares to try again.

I'm kind of wondering if what DartGod is suggesting is true on the coverup thing.

[Coogs]

I wondered if maybe she fell asleep

And why would "months" be necessary to determine that?

[Eleazar]

And why would "months" be necessary to determine that?

Hell if I know, I figured there was a lot of beurocratic nonsense to wade through before they could issue an official statement about the cause. :shrug:

[Coogs]

Hell if I know, I figured there was a lot of beurocratic nonsense to wade through before they could issue an official statement about the cause. :shrug:

I suppose. But if I was a family member of the two dead guys, I would be wanting some answers pretty darn quick. Wouldn't bring them back, but I would want to know just the same.

[patteeu]

Is it possible the bus driver did this on purpose? I'm not suggesting she did, I wouldn't do that, just some thoughts running in my mind is all.

I don't think it's likely that it was intentional. One witness said that the southbound bus swerved to the right to avoid southbound cars stopped at the intersection in front of it and then proceeded through the intersection to hit (t-bone?) eastbound cars waiting for the light. My money is on brake failure or some other mechanical problem since the authorities have unofficially ruled out medical issues and since there reportedly weren't skid marks.

[Nzoner]

I found out today that one of my clients was working with one of the deceased on some projects for some of their other businesses.

Thoughts to all the families involved.