17 Hospitalized After Three School Buses Involved In Crash In Libertyville
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Ten children and seven adults were taken to the hospital, after three school buses taking them on a YMCA field trip were involved in a chain reaction crash with a dump truck loaded with landscaping material Thursday morning in north suburban Libertyville.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office said, around 10:45 a.m., the school buses were headed west on Route 137 near River Road, when they slowed down for traffic in front of them, and a Mack dump truck was unable to stop before rear-ending one of the buses.
The crash pushed the first bus into a second bus, and the second bus into a third bus.
The buses were carrying 144 children and staff from North Suburban YMCA's summer day camp, for a field trip.
Paramedics from the Libertyville Fire Department and other area fire departments evaluated all 144 people on the buses, and 10 children and seven adults who suffered minor injuries were taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center.
The truck driver and three bus drivers were not hurt.
The children and YMCA staff members who were not injured were bused back to camp.
As of 4:30 p.m., fifteen of the people who were injured had been sent home. Two others remained in the hospital, according to the Lake County Sheriff's office.
"The thoughts and prayers of everyone from the North Suburban YMCA are with the children and staff that were involved in today's accident," North Suburban YMCA president Howard Schultz said in a statement. "All parents of campers have been notified of the incident and can pick their children up from our facility when they're able. We also have emotional support counselors onsite for any children, parents or staff who wish to speak with them."
The sheriff's office said the truck driver likely would be issued a traffic citation for the crash.
