Bus crash pupil: I thought ‘no, this isn’t happening’

THE mum of a schoolboy who survived a bus crash said she would “spoil him for a month”.

First-year pupil Joe Smith was one of 44 Our Lady’s High School pupils on a bus that tipped over and tumbled down an embankment.

A major i ncident was declared around 8.45am yesterday as police, fire and 29 ambulance units raced to the scene, in Cumbernauld.

Joe, who was uninjured, told how he landed on his friend as the bus came to rest on its side in the school grounds, off Dowanfield Road. He was then pulled out through a broken window by a science teacher.

The 12-year-old said the incident happened within seconds. He said: “I was quite scared at the time, I thought ‘oh no, this isn’t going to happen’. I talked to my friends about it and they were also quite scared because we were right beside the door.

“The driver smashed one of the windows open and then Mr McGregor came and got us out through the window.

“I feel a bit scared and bit confused about how it all happened.

“Unfortunately I landed on one of my friends but I got out as quickly as I could.”

Joe’s mum, who declined to be named, said: “I’m going home to make him a roll and sausage and he’ll probably get spoiled for about a month. I’m still quite traumatised.”

The Scottish Ambulance Service said one girl was taken to Wishaw General Hospital while 14 pupils were taken to Monklands Hospital, Airdrie, and 11 to the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow.

They have all now been discharged. There were reports of smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle and investigators were at the scene for several hours.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service depute assistant chief officer John Joyce said: “It was pretty chaotic and there was a number of other school kids making their way to school so they were observing a scene where their friends and classmates might have been involved.

“It’s obviously been difficult for the children.

“There was a great response from the school. A number of teachers and staff were helping to triage the kids, keep them calm and deal with inquiries from parents.

“I didn’t find any of the pupils in a state of real panic and I thought they dealt with it in a really adult fashion.”

Head teacher Danny McNulty praised emergency services.

He added: “Our parents, staff and chaplain have been a valuable support to our young people at this time.”

The bus contract is held by SPT but the driver is employed by JD Travel, who were not available for comment.

An SPT spokeswoman said: “We will be working closely with all the agencies involved in the full investigation which is under way.”