Young Child Injured In School Bus Collision

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — A young child was injured in a school bus crash near McHenry on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

The collision happened at about 4:30 p.m. on Monday in the area of Colby Road and South Justen Road in unincorporated McHenry. The full-sized bus drove into a ditch and hit a utility pole, which lead to downed wires, according to a news release from the Nunda Rural Fire Protection District.

The bus, which had a driver on board and two children between the ages of 4 and 6 years old, stayed on the bus until ComEd could respond and secure the power. One child was then taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries and the other was released to their parents at the scene of the collision, according to the news release.

The driver was not injured.

“We were nearly positive the live wires were not an immediate hazard, but out of an abundance of caution we kept the occupants on the bus until the power was confirmed to be fully secured. Our priority was making sure everyone stayed safe while we managed the scene. Given the circumstances, this was the best possible outcome. We also appreciated the representatives from the school district who came to the scene, stayed engaged, and worked collaboratively with our crews throughout the incident,” said Fire Chief Mike Keenan of the Nunda Rural Fire Protection District.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash.