Posted on 07/03/2005 3:35:40 PM PDT by Sweet_Sunflower29
A school bus taking kids from a summer camp to an amusement park rolled over Sunday, injuring several children. All 37 children aboard were taken to hospitals for treatment or as a precaution, said Maj. Randy Nichols of the Maine State Police. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening.
The two campers most seriously injured were transported to a hospital in Portland, one by Lifeflight helicopter and the other by ambulance.
The other children, ages 12 and 13, were taken to hospitals in Brunswick and Lewiston. State Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said most of the injuries appeared to be bumps and bruises.
The bus, chartered from Poland's Bus Service in Cornville, was part of a convoy of buses and vans carrying youngsters from Camp Modin to Funtown USA, a popular amusement area. Ten counselors and the driver were on board the bus.
The accident happened on Interstate 295 about 30 miles northeast of Portland. The bus veered onto the soft shoulder in the breakdown lane on a slight curve, Nichols said. The driver then overcorrected, causing the bus to skid sideways across both travel lanes and end up on its right side in the median.
"It appears that the crash was the result of driver inattention," Nichols said. "The driver doesn't believe she fell asleep, but it's clear that her attention waned at that critical moment when there's a very slight left turn in the roadway."
The road was closed to traffic for nearly three hours while crews righted the bus and troopers reconstructed the accident.
Camp Modin, was established in 1922 and is described on its Web site as the oldest Jewish camp in New England. Many of the campers were from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, McCausland said. A woman at the camp declined immediate comment.
Nice to hear everyone will recover!
Mrs NHD amd I were coming down 295 from Augusta this morning and were advised to exit onto Rt. 201 to avoid a "large accident." Didn't know what it was until we got home.
Thank God all the kids are ok.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.