Fire department thanks public for help as school bus crash investigation continues

The Saint-Eustache Fire Department took to social media on Wednesday to thank the people who helped rescue dozens of children, after two school buses collided and burst into flames on Tuesday.

“Thank you to those who came to help the children involved in the accident on the (highway) 640,” reads the Facebook post. “Cooperation shines once again, helping victims face an emergency situation.”

The fire department’s social media post also includes pictures of the aftermath of the three-vehicle collision, including one showing the ladder used by workers at the neighbouring car dealership who helped dozens of children climb the fence in order to get off the highway.

“We saw the fire and everything and the kids running around on the 640,” HGrégoire sales representative Stéphane Sigouin told Global News shortly after the incident.

“So we just brought the ladder and brought them safe inside.”

A final report by local health authorities at the CISSS de Laurentides confirms that a total of 102 people were transported to hospital for minor injuries, including 83 children and 19 adults.

The Saint-Eustache Fire Department’s chief of operations Patrick Déry told Global News it could have been worse if not for the quick actions of bus drivers and camp counsellors following the crash.

“The evacuation was confirmed before we even arrived at the scene,” Déry said.

“They did a great job.”

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The Sûreté du Quebec (SQ) is still investigating, but has ruled out any criminal element.

Driver distraction on behalf of both bus drivers seems to be the cause, according to one SQ officer who explained that both drivers failed to stop in time after a car came to a sudden stop.

The fire department hasn’t ruled out that the propane-powered buses caught fire due to a leak in the 100-gallon propane reservoirs or because of an electrical problem.

“The SQ is conducting the investigation but we will definitely ask for an update,” said Déry, who admitted that his fire department isn’t familiar with propane-powered buses, considering the two school bus transportation companies in the Saint-Eustache region don’t use them.

Transport Canada is working closely with the SQ on the Highway 640 West collision investigation and vehicle inspections.

“School Boards and bus operators are responsible for the decision to purchase a propane-fueled vehicle, and their operation falls under provincial jurisdiction,” Transport Canada senior communications advisor Annie Joanette said, adding that propane-fueled buses are subject to the same mandatory crash tests as other school buses, “with their fuel system subject to unique requirements under Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 301.1 – LPG Fuel System Integrity.”