School bus crashes into creek, sending 9 to hospital, Pennsylvania officials say

Update: Dashcam video captured the moment an Easton Area School District bus swerved off the roadway and into the creek. Officials say 29 students and a driver were on the bus at the time of the crash. Nine people were taken to hospitals by ambulance, and five other students were taken to hospitals by their parents.

Original Story

A school bus carrying 30 middle school students in Pennsylvania careened into a creek, sending nine to the hospital, officials say.

Striking video of the crash scene shared by WFMZ reporter Ali Reid shows both left tires in Bushkill Creek, with the front one completely underwater. The stop-sign arm used to signal when students are entering or exiting the bus is partially submerged, and the front of the school bus is wrecked.

When first responders arrived at the crash on early Nov. 8, Fire Capt. Joe Brown said everyone had already exited the bus through the emergency exit, according to The Morning Call. But officials did have to help rescue two people with “minor leg injuries” using a stretcher to bring them over the wall.

Easton Area School District Director of Safe Schools John Remaley said the driver and eight students were taken to two different hospitals by ambulance following the crash, according to lehighvalleylive.com. He said those taken to hospitals do not appear to have any serious injuries.

All other students were picked up by their parents, WFMZ reported.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, though Easton Police Chief Carl Scalzo confirmed the school bus swerved toward a “slightly elevated” shoulder before veering across the opposite traffic lane, lehighvalleylive.com reported. Then, he said, the bus went through the guardrail and landed in the creek.

Easton is about 70 miles north of Philadelphia.

This story was originally published November 8, 2021 at 8:37 AM with the headline "School bus crashes into creek, sending 9 to hospital, Pennsylvania officials say."