School bus, RTA bus accident sends 50+ people to the hospital

Jon Huffman WGNO News

11:31 a.m. CDT, October 22, 2012
New Orleans EMS took over 50 people to the hospital after a crash involving a school bus, an RTA bus and two cars Monday morning. It happened at Downman and Morrison Roads in New Orleans East at the height of morning rush hour.

No one was seriously hurt, but ambulance drivers were frantic transporting more than 50 people to the hospital.

It all happened when the driver of a school bus driving on Downman Road says a chunk of debris got stuck in the bus’ foot pedals and the bus began to accelerate out of control. The school bus hit two cars then an RTA bus nearly head-on.

Most of the injured complained of neck & back pain and that included about 14 high school students on that school bus headed for school. EMS responded with a full fleet of ambulances and even its own ambulance bus.

“So far we’re looking at about 60 patients between the cars and the buses,” said Jeb Tate from New Orleans EMS. “Thankfully we’ve had no major injuries, no illnesses but a lot of folks wanted to be transported to be checked out by physicians just for precautionary measures.”

“We’ve haven’t given any type of citations at this point, but that’s not to say that the driver will be cited at some point in time,” said New Orleans Police Officer Frank Robertson.

EMS set up a large triage center right on the street next to the buses. Some of the 60+ people involved in the accident were treated by doctors on the scene and then went on their way.