Giant logs slam through school bus with children on board near Edmonton

EDMONTON -

A couple of logs that were lost from the back of a haul truck punched through a bus taking Alberta kids to school Tuesday morning.

One student was injured in the incident in Barrhead, 120 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, Pembina Hills School Division said. They were taken to hospital for precautionary reasons and told by a doctor to follow concussion protocol.

According to officials, the “collision” happened in the 8 o'clock hour at 53 Avenue and Highway 33 as the log truck was turning right.

“I was sleeping, and then I just woke up to this big crash, and see a log flying through right over the top of my head,” said 13-year-old Addision Loitz. “It was really close.”

In pictures from the scene, two logs hang out of a driver’s side window toward the back of the bus. Two window panes appear broken and the bus’ roof crumpled. A piece of a log lies on the ground.

“She was very scared,” said Bill Lane, a Barrhead resident whose granddaughter got off the bus and walked to school. “She still had glass in her hair and stuff like that. Ten years old, it’s pretty traumatic.”

There were 21 students and two adults on board the bus. 

The log truck driver was not hurt. 

Pembina Hills School Division said families of the students on board were contacted, and student support services were called to the scene and would be available for the rest of the day.

“Some parents picked up their children and took them home. We will be debriefing with the school staff and (will) make sure that we look into things and follow up with the families,” said Pembina Hills School Division superintendent Michael Borgfjord.

Provincial highway inspectors said the truck driver will be fined, because the load was overweight and improperly balanced.

“If the load had been transported properly, this collision would not have occurred,” said Cpl. Kelly Sikorski.

The division also told all parents and staff to monitor the students who were involved in the crash.

The Barrhead intersection was closed for several hours.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson