17 children injured in bus crash near Libertyville
Two of 17 children treated for nonlife-threatening injuries remained hospitalized after a chain-reaction crash Thursday morning involving three loaded school buses and a dump truck near Libertyville.
Lake County authorities said the buses with children ages 5-14 were traveling west on Route 137 (Buckley Road) at River Road at about 10:45 a.m. when they slowed down for traffic in front of them. A Mack dump truck carrying landscaping materials behind them was unable to slow down and struck the rear of one of the buses, pushing it into the others.
The buses were carrying children and counselors from the North Suburban YMCA summer camp in Northbrook.
No critical injuries were reported, but approximately 144 students and counselors were evaluated by paramedics, authorities said.
Fifteen of those taken to the hospital were discharged a short time later, but as of late Thursday afternoon, two remained hospitalized with undisclosed injuries, Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Covelli said.
The three bus drivers and the 44-year-old Elgin man driving the truck were uninjured. No tickets were issued immediately, but the truck driver likely will be cited for failing to reduce his speed to avoid a crash, Covelli said.
The speed of the truck is was not believed to be a factor in the crash, he added.
YMCA staff members worked with the busing company to transport all of the children and counselors back to camp.