A bus carrying almost 50 pupils overturned in a rush-hour crash outside a school yesterday (Thurs) morning.
The single-decker was taking children to their high school when it came off the road before smashing down an embankment and into the woods.
Police and emergency services rushed to the scene at Our Lady’s High School in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire just before 9am.
The school said paramedics were in attendance but no-one was seriously injured and that parents had been informed.
But five pupils were taken to hospital for “non-serious” injuries and “observations”.
It is understood the youngsters were being taken to the school from the Abronhill area of Cumbernauld before the bus crashed on Dowanfield Road.
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We responded to a call from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service at 08.46 hours today.”
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “At around 08.45am, police and emergency services responded to reports of a single-deck school bus having overturned on Dowanfield Road in Cumbernauld.
“44 passengers have left the bus and are currently being assessed at the scene and there are no serious injuries reported at this time.
“A 16-year-old girl has been taken by ambulance to Monklands for what is believed to be non-serious injuries at this time.
“Four other girls, aged 15, 13, 12 and 12 have been taken by ambulance to Monklands for observations.
“Emergency services remain at the scene and enquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said 45 people were on the bus when it left the road, including the driver.
A spokesman said firefighters were also forced to put out a small fire in the engine compartment.
Deputy Assistant Chief Officer John Joyce said: “On arrival, we found that a bus was on its side, there was no sign of fire, and we assisted with making the scene safe and leading the kids to safety.
“There was a number of kids who were injured and all of them were taken into the school and they were handed over to the ambulance service.
“We assisted with taking the kids out of the emergency escapes.
“The vehicle had come to rest but there was always a danger that it could move.
“It was pretty chaotic as a number of kids had been injured.
“I thought the kids dealt with the incident in a very adult fashion. I didn’t see any of them in a state of real panic.
“We arrived within minutes of being called out.”
