Deadly School bus crach in Missouri

[Old Dog]

GRAY SUMMIT, Mo. – Two buses carrying high school band students to an amusement park were involved in a freeway wreck involving a tractor-trailer Thursday that left two people dead and dozens injured, officials said.

Missouri Department of Transportation spokesman Jorma Duran confirmed the two deaths but could not immediately say whether the victims of the Interstate 44 crash near Gray Summit, 32 miles west of St. Louis, were riders on the school buses.

Ashley Wiehle, a spokeswoman for SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center in St. Louis, said 36 kids were en route to the hospital. She said they appeared to be in good condition and were going to be examined as a precaution.

The buses were carrying St. James high school band students to the Six Flags amusement park roughly 10 miles from the crash scene.

Aerial footage of the wreckage showed the front end of one of the yellow school buses perched atop the back of the gray semi rig's cab. The second bus had smashed into a rear corner of the first bus. Firefighters were hosing down the mangled debris. Metal ladders provided access to the buses' windows.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100805/...l_bus_accident



Sucks to hear news like this.

[Old Dog]

it also sucks that I can't spell "crash"

[Luke]

Appearently that first school bus is not on top of the semi, that is the remains of an SUV according to CNN.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Luke

Appearently that first school bus is not on top of the semi, that is the remains of an SUV according to CNN.

Damn.

Sounds like we can identify the 2 fatalities then...

A school bus parked on top of you is not good for ones lifespan.

[Frazod]

IIRC that's a pretty nasty road. Hilly, narrow lanes (at least by interstate standards), lots of traffic, and unless they've done some major repairs in the last year, not in very good shape.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by frazod

IIRC that's a pretty nasty road. Hilly, narrow lanes (at least by interstate standards), lots of traffic, and unless they've done some major repairs in the last year, not in very good shape.

They are in the process of adding lanes now.

The wife and I just drove that stretch last week, and people refuse to slow the **** down in construction zones.

I'd bet there have been more fatalities on that highway within a 10 mile radius of Six Flags than any other 20 mile stretch in the state.

[Deberg_1990]

Isnt that by the old Dioxin town of Times Beach Mo. ? Anyone remember that?

[Msmith]

It is a nightmare for all the families involved right now. Prayers go to all of them.

[seclark]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Isnt that by the old Dioxin town of Times Beach Mo. ? Anyone remember that?

yep...it's still right next to the highway. all fenced in.
sec

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Isnt that by the old Dioxin town of Times Beach Mo. ? Anyone remember that?

Times Beach is about 3-5 miles east of Six Flags. Grey Summit is about 7-10 miles west of Six Flags.

It's now Route 66 State Park.

[Bugeater]

We really shouldn't be talking about this stuff. You know, karma and all.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

They are in the process of adding lanes now.

The wife and I just drove that stretch last week, and people refuse to slow the **** down in construction zones.

I'd bet there have been more fatalities on that highway within a 10 mile radius of Six Flags than any other 20 mile stretch in the state.

I have an aunt who lives in Fenton and works in Pacific that takes I-44 every day and absolutely hates it. In addition to everything else apparently there's a local gravel company in the area and the trucks are constantly on the highway with their loads oncovered, pelting anything behind them with loose bits of gravel. According to her, anyone who drives that road regularly will go through a lot of windshields.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by frazod

I have an aunt who lives in Fenton and works in Pacific that takes I-44 every day and absolutely hates it. In addition to everything else apparently there's a local gravel company in the area and the trucks are constantly on the highway with their loads oncovered, pelting anything behind them with loose bits of gravel. According to her, anyone who drives that road regularly will go through a lot of windshields.

Yep.

I lived in Eureka for a decade, and worked in the city.

Shitty drive all around. Bad roads, shit-tons of tractor trailers, people driving 85+ when the limit is 65, construction.

Glad I don't drive it very often anymore.

[gblowfish]

My sister lives in High Ridge, just south of Six Flags. She was in a really bad wreck two years ago, but it was on a winding little 2 lane state highway leading up to I-44. The terrain around there is very hilly, as its where the Ozark Mountains really begin. Dangerous area to drive.

[Msmith]

The picture is getting more clear now. The pickup truck failed to slow down behind the construction truck and caused a wreck. The buses failed to slow down and piled onto one other.

Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100805/...l_bus_accident