CJRO News Update: Three children and one adult taken to hospital after school bus crash

Candice Vetter

OPP, Russell and Embrun firefighters, and Prescott-Russell paramedics were on site quickly on Monday, April 22 after a transport truck hit a school bus south of the Village of Russell.

Accident site at the corners of MacDonald, Route 400 and Leclerc roads in Russell Township.

Photo Candice Vetter

The OPP state the accident happened about 4:15 p.m. on Route 400 at the intersection of MacDonald Road and that "...preliminary investigation indicates that a school bus attempted to enter the highway and collided with an eastbound transport truck on Route 400." 

The police statement said the school bus drivers and three students were taken to hospital by ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the transport truck was not injured. 

MacDonald Road, Leclerc Road and parts of Route 400 were closed until 3 a.m. the following morning for investigation.

CHEO also put out a statement Monday evening. The hospital had initiated a Code Orange, which is called to bring together resources in a potential mass casualty incident, around 5 p.m. which was discontinued at 7:05 p.m. The statement also said, "Currently, we cannot comment on the individual injuries to the children/youth, but we can confirm that we have engaged all resources available to us and we have also alerted our colleagues at other local hospitals."

The employer of the father of some injured children has started a GoFundMe page. The father is a single dad with four children, including the most seriously injured child who has a crushed foot. CJRO has interviewed the employer. Listen on Local First.