‘Trapped for 40 minutes’: Truck crashes into primary school classroom

The driver has been charged for alleged possession of ice after ploughing through an intersection and into a classroom at St Joseph’s in Sydney’s west on Saturday.

Pilar Grace

less than 2 min read

June 30, 2024 - 10:02PM

Family Life

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“Thankfully no children were at school,” NSW sergeant Shaun Collins told 7News after a truck careered through an intersection, off the road and into a classroom at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School on Saturday.

“He’s gone off the road, crashed in the gate at the local church and then finished underneath a classroom at the school,” he said.

The incident occurred at the intersection of Nuwarra and Newbridge roads in Moorebank in Sydney’s west at 1:15pm on Saturday.

“The driver was trapped within his cabin for almost 40 minutes before he was released by Fire and Rescue NSW and taken to Liverpool Hospital,” the police said in a later statement.

The 21-year-old driver was taken to Liverpool Hospital for treatment of minor facial and hand injuries.

On Sunday, he was charged with allegedly possessing drugs.

Police allege that they found methamphetamine and an ice pipe in the cabin of the truck following the crash.

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The truck crashed in the St Josephs classroom bringing down the ceiling. Photo: 7 News

CCTV footage reveals moment truck crashes into Sydney classroom

CCTV footage obtained by 7 News shows a small group of people chatting on the footpath in the carpark of the church next to St Josephs.

The footage shows the people turning to see a heavy truck pulling a trailer, rolling, out-of-control, through the carpark, over the footpath and narrowly missing the group.

The truck continue along the driveway before crashing into the school.

Three bystanders – a woman in her 20s, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 70s – were treated by paramedics at the scene, before being taken to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition.

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Photos and video footage show a classroom with a wall smashed in, ceiling tiles fallen down and rubble and dust covering the floor. School children’s drawings still hang untouched on the walls and across the room.

The young driver will have mandatory drug testing, and police have confirmed that further charges could be laid depending on the test results.