Eleven teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 were injured and seven of them are in critical condition after a bus carrying 30 young people from a YMCA summer camp in Idaho crashed and overturned. All of the children in the vehicle were transported and treated at various local hospitals, according to Idaho State Police, who are investigating the cause of the accident. The camp, which was to begin Sunday, was suspended.
Update: There were up to 30 'adolescents' on board the school bus when it crashed, according to an alert sent to St. Luke's hospital staff. https://t.co/mSCBP0lc2Z pic.twitter.com/6XFygd8EYh
— KTVB.COM (@KTVB) August 4, 2023
Three other camp buses unharmed
In addition to the crashed bus, three other Campus vehicles were making the same route. None of them were damaged, according to the statement issued by the officers who attended the scene of the accident.
As a result of the accident, several kilometers of Highway 55 were closed to traffic in both directions. After more than three hours of work, traffic resumed its normal activity.
Suspended
Speaking to KTVB, Treasure Valley YMCA President David Duro said the vehicle was returning from Horsethief Reservoir when the incident occurred. Duro added that it was "one of those things you never want to have happen." He also announced that the camp will not be held and that they are trying to reunite all the children with their families, reports The Independent.
For the president, "it would be unfair" to ask the camp monitors, who had been with the injured children for some time, to carry out the usual play activities as if nothing had happened. "It’s like a family member is in a traumatic event. It’s easy for your mind to wander and for you just to be concerned about them and maybe not provide the magic that YMCA camp deserves," Duro said.
In addition, the organization issued a statement on its Facebook account thanking the community for their quick and heroic intervention after the accident, and for the prayers for those involved in the event.
