School Bus Slides Off The Road On Boissoneault Rd

[Henry]

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.

[Henry]

Latest scanner chatter indicates that the Boissoneault Road is blocked off and a wrecker will be required to pull the bus out.

[Rev. Elizabeth]

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.

[Chris Santee]

Miracle on Mill Brook Bridge !

Merry Christmas to All !!!

[Rev. Elizabeth]

I would agree with that; and prompt responses by all involved.

[Cat]

[Henry]

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.

[Chris Santee]

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.

[Cat]

You're welcome Henry...someone my daughter knows took the pic.

[Chris Santee]

For the life of me, I'm trying to figure out what sounds like "bottle"

[fletchtb]

The road was slippery with ice like walking in/on a glass bottle would b is how i read it.

[Henry]

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.
 

[Henry]

Photo taken by Chris Santee with his phone:

[Dick Brown]

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  !!!!!   

[Chris Santee]

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.