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Four people hospitalised after school bus crashes in Co Down

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said the school bus crash happened at Carrowdore with initial reports of "up to 70 passengers" on board
Jack Quann
Jack Quann

17.27 7 Oct 2024


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Four people hospitalised after...

Four people hospitalised after school bus crashes in Co Down

Jack Quann
Jack Quann

17.27 7 Oct 2024


Share this article


Four people have been taken to hospital after a school bus carrying dozens of children overturned in Co Down.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) initially said "up to 70 passengers" were on board.

The NIAS later clarified that 43 pupils and a driver were on board when the crash happened on Monday afternoon at Carrowdore.

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A major incident was declared at around 4.30pm but stood down two hours later.

The NIAS said four patients required hospital treatment and the rest were to be discharged at the scene.

The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) said five fire appliances and a specialist rescue team were sent to the scene.

Pictures on social media showed a double-decker on its side in a field.

'It just started shaking'

Dylan Lee (12), a pupil at Strangford Integrated College, described what happened.

"The bus hit a post and it started to stall and went down this hill," he said.

"It just started shaking. I closed my eyes and then I opened them and I was on the floor. The first thing I did when I got up was to phone my mum."

Dylan said a man with a hammer smashed the windows so the children could escape.

"I was crawling under stuff like railings and school bags and stuff. It was on its side in the field," he added.

His mother Stacey Lee said: "I could hear him screaming that he had crashed and I could hear all the kids in the background screaming. It was awful."

Dylan's injuries appeared minor - he was left with a lump and cut on his head.

Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said on X he was "deeply concerned" and his "thoughts and prayers" were with the people involved, their families and emergency services.

Additional reporting: IRN

Main image: Emergency workers at the scene of a school bus crash on the Ballyblack Road East near Carrowdore in Co Down, 7-10-24. Image: PA Images / Alamy 

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