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By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
GRANT TOWNSHIP — Fifteen children were riding a Manistee Area Public Schools bus when it was involved in a vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon. The crash occurred at the intersection of County Line and Quarterline roads. Emergency personnel were called to the scene at 3:44 p.m. The bus, which begins its route with 21 children, was on its normal after-school route.
Keary Schulz of Ludington said he witnessed the crash. He said MAPS school bus No. 3 was traveling east on County Line Road when a Volkswagen Jetta, traveling north on Quarterline Road, turned east onto County Line Road and then proceeded to stop in the middle of the intersection, causing the bus to collide with it. The bus then went into a ditch and struck a utility pole, causing the pole to land on top of the bus.
Schulz said the electric transformer from the pole then exploded. Following the crash, the 15 passengers of various ages, proceeded to jump out of the emergency exit of the bus. Schulz said the driver did not appear to have time to react and stop them.
Grant Township Fire Chief Ron Melchert said jumping out of a vehicle that has collided with an electric line could electrocute a person. He said had the utility pole’s transformer not blown, the results of the crash could have been much worse.
The driver of the VW was transported by EMS to the hospital for injuries. Initial dispatch information stated that she was pinned in her vehicle. Melchert said one child bus passenger was transported to the hospital by EMS with non-life-threatening injuries.
“This could have been much worse than it was,” Melchert said. “We need to emphasize the importance of using extreme caution around power lines. This is something we plan on reviewing with area schools.”
Emergency units responding included Grant Township Fire Department, Filer Township Fire Department, Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Tribal Police, Life EMS, and MMR ambulance. Also on scene were personnel from Consumers Energy.
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