Scene of the crash involving a school bus and fuel tanker on Hewletts Rd this morning. Photo / Alex Cairns
Five people have been taken to hospital after a crash involving a school bus and a fuel tanker in Mount Maunganui.
Emergency services were called to the crash at the intersection of Hewletts Rd and Totara St around 7.50am.
The crash caused long traffic delays in the area, however, it had now been cleared, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said in an update at 9.45am.
A St John media spokesman said four ambulances and three rapid response vehicles were sent to the scene.
“Five people were transported to Tauranga Hospital by ambulance with one in a serious condition, two in a moderate condition, and two were uninjured support people.”
Bethlehem College board chairman, Paul Shakes, said there were 41 students on the bus this morning when it crashed.
He believed four students were taken to hospital, two being support people for the two injured students. He said the other students were taken to school by another bus and the parents were all advised about the crash.
While some students were collected from school, most were in class today. Shakes said the students were all offered support and the school’s “thoughts and prayers” were with those impacted.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said a school bus and a fuel truck had collided.
She said the school bus door had jammed and firefighters helped open the doors.
A reporter at the scene earlier said traffic was not moving on Hewletts Rd and the bus was from Bethlehem Coachlines.
She said students were now back on another bus.
A Tranzit Coachlines spokeswoman confirmed their bus driver was one of the injured taken to Tauranga Hospital by ambulance.
She said the other passengers were transferred onto another bus and taken to school with the help of the company’s regional manager, who was quickly on the scene.
The bus sustained some damage and is now back at our depot.
”We appreciate this would have been a stressful experience for the passengers involved and we want to thank them all for listening to, and following, advice to safely get off the bus and transfer onto the second one.
”Our thoughts are with our driver and the passengers and their families, who were transferred to hospital.”
McFall Fuel chief executive Stephen Fraser said he was at the scene this morning checking in to see that everyone was okay, which was the priority.
He said the team was helping the driver who was safe but in a bit of shock. Fraser said he would continue to work with police and co-operate with whatever was needed.
He said he would reach out to Bethlehem Coachlines and other parties involved later today to check in and make sure everyone was okay.
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