A downed power line briefly trapped students inside a bus Monday afternoon.

Shortly after 3 p.m., a bus carrying 23 students on route 122 from Liverpool Regional High School, South Queens Middle School and John C Wickwire Academy, encountered the power line on Barss Street in Liverpool.

Captain John Long of the Liverpool Fire Department explains what led to the downed line.

“Another vehicle had hit the pole, or rubbed the pole and pulled the mast off the house. The bus came along and didn’t notice the low-hanging wire and so it got tangled up in it,” said Long. “As soon as they realized what they were in they stopped the bus and called for help.”

South Shore Regional Centre for Education (SSRCE) officials contacted the parents of the 23 students on board to make them aware of the situation.

Nova Scotia Power, Liverpool Fire Department and RCMP worked together to remove the line from the bus.

The ordeal lasted about an hour but with no air conditioning and temperatures approaching 30 degrees in the mid-afternoon, the only relief students had from the heat was to open the windows.

Liverpool Fire Department provided students with bottled water when they were able to exit the bus.

Some parents arrived to pick up their children from the incident site.

SSRCE Communications Coordinator Ashley Gallant says students were checked out by EHS before being released.

Gallant credits the quick actions of the bus driver for ensuring the safety of everyone on the bus.

“Really have to give some recognition to the bus driver who immediately recognized that something wasn’t right and stopped, according to procedures and contacted Nova Scotia Power, as we should,” said Gallant. “So it’s really the best outcome here. Everybody was safe and no injuries.”

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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