Ulladulla High School: Teen girl dies after being hit by a school bus
A teenager has been remembered as a ‘lovely girl’ after she was tragically hit and killed by a bus outside of a busy high school on the South Coast.
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A small coastal town is grieving after a teenager tragically died 50 metres away from the entrance to her high school.
Shortly after 3pm on Wednesday - just days out from school holidays - emergency services were called to the intersection of South St and St Vincent Street, Ulladulla, after receiving reports a student had been hit by a bus.
Paramedics worked behind a screen at the incident site to save the girl’s life, but sadly she died at the scene in front of shocked students and parents.
An Ulladulla mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said school staff who were outside the front of the school on South Street looked deeply distraught.
“I had a cry when I found (out) she died, but I think that was the Mum coming out in me. I just could not cope with that,” she said.
Another mother of a high student, Leonie Smith, said it was a heart-breaking incident.
“She was a lovely girl and a beautiful friend to my daughter. My heart is aching for her, her family and her friends.”
Onlookers reported some other children ran back to see what had happened and nearly put themselves in danger.
South St, which is where the high school’s bus zone is located, and St Vincent Street are normally busy roads during school pick-up and drop off-times.
Nearby Green Street has a crossing guard for Ulladulla Public School school students, but there is just a pedestrian island for people crossing from the high school side of St Vincent Street to the town’s CBD.
Tributes have poured out across social media for the teenager with residents expressing their grief of the shocking loss, just two days before the school holidays begin in NSW.
Some said it was a parent’s worst nightmare while others talked about the need for students, staff, bus driver and emergency services to be supported after such a heart-breaking incident in the small town.
A NSW police media spokesperson confirmed she is a student of the school; however, she was yet to be identified.
The bus driver was breath tested at the scene, returning a negative result. They will be taken to hospital for mandatory testing.
Diversions are currently in place and the public is urged to avoid the area.
Inquiries are continuing and anyone with information or dashcam footage is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.