School bus crash injures 16

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

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The bus was heavily damaged.

Sixteen children are recovering from minor injuries after their school bus and an SUV collided in Hernando County.

The collision caused the bus to roll over.

Two construction site superintendents responded to the scene.

"We heard skidding, looked over and there was a lady walking down the street," said Steven Catron of Grant Homes. "She said that bus flipped over. We jumped in our cars and drove down there."

Catron and his colleague, Sam Cole, may have prevented a potential fuel fire by disconnecting the battery to reduce the possibility of a fire.

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	Click here for more photos of the accident scene.

People at the scene were freaked out," said Cole. "Steve and I took control of the situation immediately. We got kids off the bus, moved them to a safe area, disconnected the battery immediately."

The drivers of both vehicles and 11 children were taken to local hospitals.

The school bus belongs to First Friends Preschool, a private school on Mariner Boulevard in Spring Hill. The children on the bus range in age from 5 to 8 years old.

A representative from the preschool said everyone is okay. The driver of the SUV was charged with failing to grant right of way to the school bus.