School run horror

THE investigation into yesterday's bus crash will focus on whether the back wheels of the 35-seater bus came off before or during the crash.

The incident claimed the life of a 15-year-old Junior Certificate student and left more than 30 others needing hospital treatment.

Gardaí are trying to piece together what caused the 17-year-old Mercedes bus to flip over on the quiet country roadway, which runs through Clara Bog in Offaly.

They will try to ascertain if the back axle snapped or became detached as the bus swung in the air and landed on its roof.

The bus was privately contracted from Raymond McKeown's bus hire company in Clara by parents of the pupils to carry them the eight miles to Killina Presentation School.

The operator was licensed by the gardaí and the vehicle passed its road worthiness test last September.

The crash occurred in the middle of a long, straight stretch shortly after 8am. The route has been used for many years by private buses transporting pupils from Clara to Killina.

More than 20 emergency crews raced to the accident where they were met with "a scene of chaos".

Parents and passersby also rushed to the scene and helped many students who were injured and dazed.

The parents of 15-year-old Michael White, who was crushed under the bus, were told at the scene that there was little hope for their son because of the extent of his injuries.

A straight-A pupil, Michael was popular with students and staff at Killina Presentation School.

A lover of music, he was due to sit his Junior Cert music exam today.

His family is well known in Clara and has run MH White's pub for generations. Michael White Snr is also an undertaker. They have a 12-year-old daughter, Ciara.

Clara parish priest Fr Patrick Keary described the scene as heartbreaking.

"I met Michael's parents and it was very traumatic. I came back 15 minutes late to say 10am Mass because I think that's the best thing you can do, but it was hard.

"You could just sense a silence in the congregation as people knew what had happened. The whole town is numb," he said.

The ambulance service was notified of an accident shortly after 8.30am.

The Hospital Emergency Plan was immediately activated and a medical team, led by Dr Sean O'Rourke, consultant in emergency medicine, was dispatched to the scene.

Off-duty hospital and emergency staff responded to calls for assistance, and many night-duty staff remained on duty to deal with the emergency.

Health Service Executive (HSE) staff in Navan offered their services, and the chief of Crumlin's Children Hospital also offered assistance.

A parent room was set up at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore and counselling and psychology services were made available to the children, parents and relatives involved.

A total of 34 students were removed to two hospitals in the region, but only six victims were admitted, including the driver, Gerard Buckley.

"Of the six patients who were admitted, one has received surgery and another is currently undergoing surgery for relatively minor injuries sustained by glass lacerations. The other four were just kept in hospital for observation," said Mr O'Rourke.

He said all six will be released from the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore today.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin, who travelled to Co Offaly yesterday, said all the circumstances of the crash will be investigated.