School bus rolls off highway in horror Bacchus Marsh truck crash

A good Samaritan who rushed to the scene of a horror school bus crash has praised the driver as being like “a captain” going down with his ship.

Belongings were strewn around a school bus that rolled down an embankment after a truck collision at Bacchus Marsh. Picture: Brendan Beckett

The driver of a school bus that crashed in Victoria has been described as “the captain of the ship going down” as he tried to help the students despite being injured himself.

Dozens of students and staff from Loreto College Ballarat were rushed to hospital after a truck collided with their school bus on the Western Highway near the intersection of Condons Lane at 3.15am on Wednesday.

The bus was heading to Melbourne Airport where the year 9 to year 11 students were travelling to the US to attend a NASA space camp, which had been rescheduled due to Covid.

Tow truck company owner Trevor Oliver was clearing debris from an earlier incident when he heard “three horrendous bangs” and was among those who helped free everyone on-board.

Mr Oliver said the bus driver did a magnificent job assisting, despite suffering injuries himself.

“It’s really going to hit him in the next 24 hours,” he told the ABC.

“How he survived is amazing. He refused to go to hospital until every girl had left that accident scene.

“It was like the captain of the ship going down.”

On Wednesday, Mr Oliver shed tears while describing how one girl’s leg was partially amputated.

“Instantly your heart sinks, but then to get there and find students, (it’s) another world,” he told 7 News.

Mr Oliver went down the embankment, and with the help of about six other people, took off the driver’s windscreen so the girls could get out.

The aftermath of a crash involving a school bus and truck at Bacchus Marsh. Picture: Brendan Beckett

“The worst one was a girl who had her leg partially amputated,” he said as he shed tears.

“Three of us got hold of her … we got her free and carried her out.

“(I) was just trying to calm her down, grabbing whatever we could to wrap her leg because we were conscious of her bleeding.

Grandma Susan told the Herald Sun that her granddaughter, who was on the bus, was lucky to be alive.

“It’s a terrible thing to experience,” she said.

“She’s doing okay in hospital but she is more concerned about the other children, her friends, she is worried about them.”

Meanwhile, Ange Greenland, who lives close to the crash site, said the noise from the ambulance air unit woke her up about 3am.

“After the crash, all of the girls and parents started walking back up the embankment and up the ramp going back towards Bacchus marsh,” Ms Greenland said.

“I got out of my house and said anyone who needed to come inside to use the bathroom or have a drink or something was welcome – and 20 minutes later, three girls and a mum turned up at my door.”

The mother involved in the crash told Ms Greenland the truck full of sand was tailing the school bus in a 40km/hr zone around the bends of Pentland Hills, when it hit the bus directly in the centre from behind.

The girls described an extremely loud bang, panicking the passengers and the driver.

“The driver got a massive shock and lost control of the bus, going to the left, where they’ve gone through the barrier and flown through the air to the bottom of the embankment,” Ms Greenland said.

“One of the girls called the ambulance at 3.03am.

“There were 27 on board and only 17 of them walked back up the ramp – the rest were either airlifted to hospital or had to be cut out from the wreckage.

“They had to walk 850m uphill, totally traumatised with blankets wrapped around their shoulders.”

Ms Greenland, a former truck and bus driver, said parents were speeding down the highway to get to their kids, many of whom were stopping their cars in the middle of traffic and running towards the scene to their children.

Police guided the girls, parents and teachers up the ramp where they had a four-wheel-drive car and a replacement bus waiting.

Police survey the bus. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Loreto College Ballarat reeling after crash

Loreto College principal Michelle Brodrick said the school had been in close communication with the victims’ families.

“Some students have been discharged from hospital into the care of their parents,” she said.

“A number of staff and students remain in hospital for treatment for varying levels of injury.

“The advice we have received at this stage is that all are recovering.”

Ms Brodrick said it was an “extremely difficult and upsetting time” for the Loreto community.

“The College will be open tomorrow for students, staff and families to be together, and to pray for the recovery of those injured in the accident,” she said.

“Counselling support will be made available to all members of the College community.

“On behalf of the College community, I would like to thank the first responders and medical personnel who are caring for our students and staff today.”

`In a statement, the school’s marketing and development director Judy-Ann Quilliam said the school was deeply concerned for the staff and students who were injured.

“Emergency responders attended the site and co-ordinated the care and support for students and staff who were triaged at the scene and transported to hospital and remain in excellent care,” she said.

“The College is very appreciative of the quick and professional response of the emergency services personnel at the scene, and very grateful to Grampians Health for their ongoing support.

“Our caring Loreto community has deep concern for the injured and their families and we ask for their privacy to be respected.”

The bus was carrying 32 people when it crashed. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Speaking at a press conference at Loreto College just before 3pm on Wednesday, Grampians Health chief executive Dale Fraser said of the 16 patients taken to Ballarat Base Hospital, five were still receiving treatment.

The Code Brown called earlier in the day has since been stood down.

It’s understood the crash was triggered by an earlier collision between a ute and truck that occurred about 6.30pm on Tuesday.

Speed was reduced to 40km/h in the area as debris was being cleared from the road.

Detective Inspector Roger Schranz described the crash as a parent’s “worst nightmare”.

“It must have been horrific for the students, but just as horrific for their parents,” he said.

“It was quite chaotic, with people self-evacuating (from the bus), witnesses around and bumper-to-bumper traffic.”

Damaged road barriers that the bus broke through in the crash. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Other trucks and passers-by stopped at the time to help the students out of the bus and called emergency services.

The cabin and front of the bus were “severely crushed” in the accident.

“As a detective, I look at that scene and assume someone would have passed away, so they’re all very fortunate indeed,” DI Schranz said.

The cause of the crash is still unknown, but the investigation squad will consider speed, drugs, alcohol and fatigue as part of their inquiries.

SES Bacchus Marsh said its crews were called to the scene at 3.21am.

“On arrival we found a very large emergency scene and immediately requested additional rescue resources which attended from Ballan and Melton,” the statement read.

“Our crews worked with other emergency services on scene to remove the remaining five students trapped inside the bus and triage the large number of patients and extricate them up a steep embankment.

“The truck driver was also trapped and SES, CFA and FRV crews worked to extricate him.”

Five schoolgirls were cut from the bus wreckage by SES rescuers. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Twenty-seven female students were on board, along with four teachers and the bus driver.

Ambulance Victoria said paramedics treated more than 30 people with “traumatic injuries”, including the male truck driver, who sustained serious injuries.

Two teenage girls were flown to the Royal Children’s Hospital in a serious but stable condition while another was taken to the hospital with lower body injuries.

A woman in her 40s and a man in his 50s were taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious but stable condition with injuries, along with a teenage girl with upper body injuries.

A woman in her 40s was taken to Sunshine Hospital in a stable condition with upper body injuries, along with two teenage girls in a stable condition with minor injuries.

A man in his 50s was taken to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition with minor injuries.

A teenage girl was taken to Western Hospital Footscray in a stable condition with minor injuries.

Police said all other students were taken back to school to rendezvous with their parents.

The truck collided with the school bus about 3.15am. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Bags were strewn across the hill where the bus crash landed. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Grampians Health confirmed that one Loreto staff member and 15 students were being treated at Ballarat Base Hospital, all in a stable condition.

“Ballarat is a close community, and we understand there is concern for those involved in this accident,” a spokeswoman said.

“We can confirm that all students in our care have been reunited with their families, and some have been discharged home.”

The emergency forced Grampians Health to implement a Code Brown at the hospital on Wednesday morning.

“A Code Brown is called when hospital resources are required to respond to an external emergency,” a spokeswoman said.

“Our thoughts are with the students and families, and the wider Loreto community.”

Daniel Andrews offers support

Premier Daniel Andrews said he spoke to Loreto’s principal Michelle Brodrick to offer support.

“The images and reports of the crash on the Western Highway are shocking,” he said.

“My thoughts go out to all the students, teachers and drivers affected, and the whole Ballarat community.

“I’ve spoken with Loreto College’s Principal and we’ll give the school community all the support they need.

“To all the first responders who have been taking care of those involved, thank you so much.”

Local state MP Juliana Addison also sent her well wishes to the families involved in the crash.

Emergency crews use a ladder to access the bus after it crashed through a barrier and rolled down a steep embankment. Picture: Brendan Beckett

The Wendouree MP is a former Loreto student and it’s understood her daughter goes to the school, in a year level below the students involved in the crash.

“I wish the students and teachers all the best as they recover from this shocking event,” she said in a statement.

“As a former Loreto student and current parent, I know the strength of the Loreto community and that it will shine through during this difficult time.”

She added that the Ballarat community would “put our arms around our Loreto girls, teachers and their families and support them in all they need”.

Meanwhile, the City of Ballarat also sent well wishes to the college community.

“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those involved,” it said in a statement.

“Thank you to the first responders on the scene and the surrounding hospitals and healthcare workers involved.”

The truck was carrying bags of sand, which has now spread over the road.

The bus remained on the embankment, with possessions belonging to students and staff scattered across the steep hill.

In unwelcome news to motorists, the Western Freeway is unlikely to be reopened on Wednesday.

Police have blocked off both main roads and back roads to the scene, further slowing traffic.

The Department of Transport has recommended drivers to allow for “plenty of extra time”.

“If it rains, the bus won’t be taken from the roadside, it’ll be taken from the dirt track to the side of the freeway by crane,” DI Schranz said.

“The road needs to be washed down and sanded, so it’s a long process and the rain won’t help.”

The speed limit on the freeway is 110km/h, with the crash occurring close to a ‘slow to 40’ zone.

Police are unsure of the speeds of the bus and truck at the time of the crash, but both vehicles were fitted with mechanisms that can ascertain the speed at the moment of collision.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.