Touching act for school bus crash victims
Victoria Police have made a sweet gesture for the schoolchildren who caught up in a horror bus crash that seriously injured some of their classmates.
A police van was spotted escorting a bus from Exford Primary School on Thursday morning, just days after a truck smashed into the back of another vehicle, overturning it and trapping a number of children inside.
The horror incident saw dozens of emergency services work to free the trapped children over the course of a few hours, with the some of the hurt students undergoing surgeries and amputation due to their injuries.
The police van followed closely behind the school bus, offering reassurance to the students who would understandably be nervous getting back on the school bus.
In the wake of the incident, truck driver Jamie Gleeson has been charged with four counts of dangerous driving causing serious injury.
He told Melbourne Magistrates Court that his vision was impaired by a “sudden flicker of light or sun” before crashing into the turning school bus.
Meanwhile, the local football club will hold a community fundraiser game to support the families and victims of the horror school bus crash that rocked a “tight-knit” community.
Eynesbury Eagles Junior Football and Netball Club director Mark Heaney said he was expecting “thousands” to attend the game between the Eagles and Wallan at the Eynesbury Recreation Reserve.
All proceeds from the game will go to Exford Primary School.
“Everybody just wants to do what they can to help,” Mr Heaney said on Sunrise.
“Any of the funds that we raise … will be put into an account and then given to Exford and their principal … and the children’s parents can decide how the money is best put to use.”
The local Rotary Club has also reportedly offered to pay parking fees at the event.
As of Thursday, seven children remain in the Royal Children’s Hospital in a stable condition.
“(The other kids are) happy to be home and so are the parents,” Mr Heaney said.
“They are very touched by the outpouring of support from the community, as are we.”
Mr Heaney said community members could get involved in Friday’s game by heading to the club’s website to donate or to the game in person.
“The more the merrier, we’d be happy to see everyone.”
The fundraiser game comes after a school bus containing 46 primary school-aged children and its driver rolled after being struck by a truck while turning at Eynesbury about 3.55pm on Tuesday.
Nine children were trapped in the wreckage, while eight suffered life-threatening injuries, eight had serious injuries and 30 were described as “walking wounded”.
Two children have since had limbs amputated.
