Ontario Provincial Police said five students were injured in a school bus rollover near Woodstock, Ont., on Tuesday morning, including one who was pinned under the bus.
In a video update from Const. Randi Crawford and Sgt. Ed Sanchuk late Tuesday morning, Crawford said she was pleased to say “all the students are OK.”
“There were 40 students involved on the bus. Five were injured, but all minor in nature,” she said.
Global News confirmed with Crawford that the figure includes the student who was pinned beneath the bus and airlifted to hospital. She explained that the child was airlifted as a “precaution to rule out internal injuries.” In an email to Global News, Ornge Air initially said that child had critical injuries.
The single vehicle crash on Cuthbert Road and Dodge Line in South-West Oxford, about 10 kilometres south of Woodstock, Ont., occurred at roughly 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday morning, Sanchuk reported that all parents and guardians have been notified “so if you are thinking that your child was on that bus and you haven’t been notified, it’s not your child.”
He also took the opportunity to thank an unidentified individual who came across the scene and offered assistance.
“I just can’t thank you enough for everything you did this morning to evacuate those children on the bus, so on behalf of our OPP family, I thank you so much,” Sanchuk said Tuesday.
Crawford added that there were a couple of “Good Samaritans that attended the scene and helped the students” and extended her thanks to them.
“We’d also like to let the families know that we’re thinking of them and if they have any help that they need to help the children or themselves deal with this, we’re happy to get them the resources that they need.”
Cuthbert Road was closed at Trillium Line and Dodge Line and Dodge Line was closed at Rivers Road until just before 2 p.m. Tuesday.
— with files from Global News’ Kevin Nielsen.