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Four people are in hospital after a school bus carrying 43 schoolchildren crashed in Northern Ireland, paramedics have said.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said at 4.30pm on Monday that it had declared a major incident following the crash in Carrowdore, County Down, which left the bus lying on its side in a field several metres from the road.
As well as a number of pupils with minor injuries, eight people were treated for more serious wounds at the scene and four patients required hospital treatment, the ambulance service said.
The mother of a 12-year-old boy who sustained a head injury and is a pupil at Strangford Integrated College described hearing pupils screaming over the phone after the vehicle turned over.
Dylan Lee, who was sitting on the top deck, said: “The bus hit a post and it started to stall and went down this hill. It just started shaking. I closed my eyes and then I opened them and I was on the floor.”
He added: “Then there was this guy came down with a hammer and the windows were all being smashed so we could get out. I was crawling under stuff like railings and school bags and stuff. It was on its side in the field.”
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The ambulance service said it scrambled several emergency vehicles to the scene on Ballyblack Road East in Carrowdore, including an air ambulance, and urged members of the public only to call 999 in life-threatening situations while it responded to the accident.
Standing down the major incident at 6.30pm, paramedics said the service would remain busy for many hours as it dealt with the backlog of calls, adding: “Please use 999 wisely and be patient if you really need to call us.”
Firefighters, including a specialist team, rushed to help, while police urged motorists to avoid the area as they reported that officers were at the scene.
In its statement, the ambulance service said 43 schoolchildren were on the bus, as well as the driver, adding: “Four patients will require hospital treatment and the rest should be discharged at scene.”
Local SDLP representative Will Polland alleged that concerns had been raised multiple times about the road where the crash occurred.
Mr Polland told the BBC: “First responders were on the scene as quick as possible and we are incredibly grateful for that. Our hearts and prayers go out, not just to those who are unfortunately involved, but those who have responded. We are keeping everyone in our hearts and minds at this point.”
He added: “This road has had concerns about it raised multiple times. I send all my prayers out to everyone involved in the incident. It is an absolute tragedy.”
Northern Ireland’s public transport provider, Translink, said it was assisting police with their investigations.
The Ulsterbus service had been carrying pupils from Strangford College to Bangor.
Northern Ireland’s first minister, Michelle O’Neill, shared her support for those caught up in the crash, saying: “My heart goes out to everyone injured, their families, and the emergency services who are on the scene in Carrowdore.”
Praising the response of emergency service crews and hospital staff, Stormont health minister Mike Nesbitt said: “This has been a shocking incident and my thoughts this evening are with all of those affected and their families.
“I am receiving regular updates. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the emergency crews attending the scene and to the hospital staff caring for those who have been injured.
Additional reporting by PA
