Blue Mountains bus collision: 50 children believed to be involved in the bus crash

At least three people have been taken to a hospital after two buses collided on a dirt road in Lithgow on Thursday. One of the buses reportedly crashed into the back of the other on the quiet Blue Mountains road.

The crash happened at the State Mine Gully Road and Old Bells Line of Road at Newnes intersection at around 3:50PM. Police activated a “major emergency response” with Lithgow Highway Patrol officers, prompting firefighters and the Volunteer Rescue Association to arrive at the scene shortly afterwards.

According to a report by The Australian, the buses were carrying around 50 primary school children on a holiday excursion arranged by a St Mary’s school. The children were aged between six and 12.

Paramedics, who were deployed at the scene, declared it a triage area, although the worst injuries appeared to be only cuts and bruises. That being said, two children and a woman were immediately taken to Lithgow Hospital for further assessment.

The rest of the children will also be taken to hospital for assessment as a precaution, police said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. A replacement bus is being used to transport passengers from the scene. NSW Police declared no deaths in the crash.

The two buses were found to have been owned and operated by Go Bananas, a company based in St Marys, Sydney, which runs school holiday care programs for children.

Pictures and videos from the scene showed one of the mini buses significantly damaged in the crash. The windscreen of the bus had fallen out and the front end was appallingly crumpled. Crash investigators who had arrived at the scene will be investigating the events that led to the accident.

There were 68 people in total travelling in the two buses, police said in report.