Fairfax News => Current News & Events => Topic started by: Henry on December 21, 2011, 03:54:46 PM
Title: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Henry on December 21, 2011, 03:54:46 PM
A school bus skidded on the ice on the bridge at the bottom of Boissoneault Road. Went half over the bridge. The kids are all off safely. I don't know if it is still there, I would guess still there. Rev. E.
Chris Santee Reported in to me by phone also and said the Road was Glare Ice near the bridge, while elsewhere it seemed to be fine. Bus driver did a great job getting the kids out safely. Chris took some photos with his phone and will try to send them to me later.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Henry on December 21, 2011, 04:26:52 PM
Latest scanner chatter indicates that the Boissoneault Road is blocked off and a wrecker will be required to pull the bus out.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Rev. Elizabeth on December 21, 2011, 05:00:45 PM
My husband said that when he came by he helped with some of the little ones. Del was there with another bus for them to get on.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Chris Santee on December 21, 2011, 05:39:31 PM
Miracle on Mill Brook Bridge !
Merry Christmas to All !!!
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Rev. Elizabeth on December 21, 2011, 05:47:34 PM
I would agree with that; and prompt responses by all involved.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Cat on December 21, 2011, 07:35:54 PM
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Henry on December 21, 2011, 07:55:38 PM
Cat, thank you so much for that photo - I would have loved to have gone down and taken one, but didn't want to take a tumble - I know Chris told me it was like a bottle - Sounds like everyone was calm and got out fine.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Chris Santee on December 22, 2011, 05:26:47 AM
STATE OF VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY VERMONT STATE POLICE PRESS RELEASE
MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH
CASE#:11A205961 TROOPER: Farmer STATION: St. Albans CONTACT#: 524-5993
DATE/TIME: 12/21/2011 at approx 1536 hours LOCATION (specific): Boissoneault Road in Fairfax, VT VEHICLE #1 OPERATOR: Corey Vincelette AGE: 21 SEAT BELT? Y CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Fairfax, Vt
DESCRIPTION OF VEHICLE: School Bus DAMAGE TO VEHICLE: Front end WEATHER: Rain/ Ice ROAD COND: Icy
SUMMARY OF CRASH: On December 21, 2011 at approximately 1536 hours dispatch was notified of a Fairfax Town School Bus off the road on Boissoneault Road in Fairfax, VT. There were no injuries and the children were unloaded off the bus. Upon arrival, I observed the bus on top of the guardrail and the front end over hanging the bridge above the brook. It was raining out and the roadway was iced over.
Investigation revealed that vehicle 1 operated by Corey L. Vincelette was traveling south on Boissoneault Road. As Operator 1 (Vincelette) crested the hill and began traveling downhill he lost control of the bus. The weight of the bus caused the bus to gain more speed. Operator 1 (Vincelette) could not steer or apply brakes due to the ice.
The entire roadway was iced over. The bus traveled straight down until it hit a guardrail. The bus came to an uncontrolled rest as the front end of the bus was caught in the guardrail and overhanging the water below.
There was contact damage to the front end of the bus and the undercarriage. This was caused by the bus colliding with the guardrail and traveling over the guardrail before coming to an uncontrolled rest.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Cat on December 22, 2011, 05:26:57 AM
You're welcome Henry...someone my daughter knows took the pic.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Chris Santee on December 22, 2011, 05:31:30 AM
For the life of me, I'm trying to figure out what sounds like "bottle" ???
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: fletchtb on December 22, 2011, 07:20:15 AM
The road was slippery with ice like walking in/on a glass bottle would b is how i read it.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Henry on December 22, 2011, 08:28:39 AM
FOX 44 Reported:
Fairfax, Vermont – A school bus full of kids hit an icy road, smashed into a guardrail and was left teetering over a bridge above a brook in Fairfax Wednesday.
It happened on around 3:30 pm on Boissoneault Road.
Police say the driver was heading down a hill when he lost control on the ice. The bus crashed into a guardrail and the front end of the bus was hanging above the brook.
The children were unloaded off the bus safely and no one was hurt.
The bus suffered minor damage from the crash.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Henry on December 22, 2011, 08:43:09 AM
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Dick Brown on December 22, 2011, 08:50:00 AM
In reading this posting , I am really pleased with the aspect of minor damage to the bus and to the lack of serious injuries to the students . Both certainly could have been much , much worse and tragic and the quick actions of all responders made the ending of the day far less traumatic for the kids, parents and school staff . Kudos , indeed , to the driver whose actions kept the bus from rolling over and out of the brook . One can only admire his ability to maneuver this vehicle at a moment when there was apparently no time to think ...only react , and he did well , saving countless bad scenarios . Way to go , Mr. Vincelette !!!!!
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Chris Santee on December 22, 2011, 09:02:02 AM
I found that photo on facebook and shared it. I don't know who took that. Mary Kay might.
Later, I'll get the photos off my camera/phone. If they come out, they should be amazing.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: Scott Mitchell on December 22, 2011, 09:44:10 AM
Both my kids were on the bus and as my 7 year old described it "Some of the kids were upset until we all got off the bus, but it was ok dad, the only problem was they wouldn't let me go to Mima and Pop's." Good to know the kid has his priorities, also, lucky he didn't take off across the field to go to his grandparents his with his sister. But I digress, I applaud the kids and the bus driver for keeping a level head in the situation and am pleased that all was well and there is only damage to the bus.
Happy Holidays Scott Mitchell
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: mkr on December 22, 2011, 10:01:05 AM
Chris, I got the photo on Facebook from Kristy Pigeon's page. Not sure who took it.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: 7F24 on December 22, 2011, 12:02:44 PM
I am sure we all have at one time or another been in a situation where we have no control of the vehicle due to ice. When that happens you react as best you can and hope you come to a stop safely. Good job Corey, you kept your head and did what you could. My concern is how this situation was handled after the stop. I understand that reporting the incident to the school is their protocol, but I can not understand why no one reported this to 911. This bus was moving fast enough to go over the guard rail, I would think the impact may throw kids around. The driver I noticed was wearing a seat belt, but the kids were not. Who decided the kids were ok and should be loaded on another bus? It appears now that none of the children were hurt, but if my kids were on that bus, I would want rescue called to check them out.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: logical on December 22, 2011, 12:30:26 PM
7F24 - I couldn't agree more! That was my concern as well. Had my chilldren been on that bus I would not have been too happy about the fact that rescue crews were not called in to assess the children.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: 7F24 on December 22, 2011, 12:39:41 PM
I don't mean to sound like I am criticising how the school handled this. It is very easy to look back and say I should have done this or that. When the fan's all dirty you do what you think is best and learn from your mistakes. I just hope people review how this was handled, and ensure that these situations are handled better in the future.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: sdogallen on December 22, 2011, 05:53:32 PM
Not sure if it's a law or not but I think any school bus related accident the students are all supposed to be checked by EMS or someone that is qualified before being released or taken away.
Title: Re: School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd
Post by: al brodeur on December 22, 2011, 07:16:21 PM
are these buses equiped with sanders?might be worth considering