First responders praised following school bus crash in B.C.'s Cariboo region

The swift response to the school bus crash in B.C.'s Cariboo region, which left about 36 people injured on Friday, was crucial in ensuring the safety of those involved, according to a fire chief who was on the scene. 

I'm "so extremely proud of the volunteer fire departments and the firefighters [who] attended and our other partner agencies," said Roger Hollander, the Cariboo Regional District fire chief. 

Seven people were airlifted to the hospital and seven were sent in ambulances. In addition, a subsequent incident at the same location left one person dead. The B.C. RCMP declined to give any information about the deceased on Saturday.  

According to the RCMP, the bus went off the road and down an embankment after travelling on Highway 97 north of 100 Mile House, which is about 455 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

The cause of the bus crash is still being investigated, officials said.

Cpl. Brett Urano, the division media relations officer, confirmed the bus accident was followed by a second incident, in which a person was struck by a vehicle at the same location. 

Despite the life-saving efforts of first responders, the person died, he said.

The Grade 6 and 7 students from 100 Mile Elementary and Horse Lake Elementary who were on the bus were returning from a field trip to Gavin Lake, about 90 kilometres northwest of 100 Mile House, according to Chris van der Mark, the superintendent of the Cariboo-Chilcotin School District.  

Nearly 40 of the students and four adults onboard, including a driver and teachers were "extricated" from the site of the accident, fire Chief Hollander said.

"Many of those students were … removed … and were assisted by passersby and other witnesses," he said.

However, when fire crews responded to the scene, they found the driver and one student needed to be extricated after being trapped inside the bus. 

Thanks to a co-ordinated response from 100 Mile House Fire Rescue, RCMP and volunteer firefighters, both individuals were successfully rescued, Hollander said. 

Van der Mark said the school district plans to support the children and families who were involved.