Live Power Lines Fall On Londonderry Bus With Riders Inside

LONDONDERRY, NH — Londonderry police, and fire were dispatched to King John Drive on Tuesday for a school bus with active power lines that had fallen on top of the school bus.

First arriving units found a school bus with the driver and about a dozen children on the bus. Firefighters directed everyone to remain on the bus. Eversource was requested on a priority response to the scene.

Londonderry fire had a medic unit dispatched as a precaution and an additional engine to the scene for manpower. A second school bus was requested to the scene to be prepared for the children once the electrical danger was mitigated. Also, an additional bus was requested to finish picking up the children on the route the original bus was not able to complete.

Eversource arrived at the scene in about 10 minutes with several trucks who assessed the situation and de-energized all the power lines in the area of the bus. The children were removed from the bus and walked up the street to the awaiting bus to take them to school. The bus driver remained on the scene as the power lines and downed branches were removed from the bus.

The initial investigation shows the bus carrying young children was on its normal pickup route bringing children to the Matthew Thornton Elementary School. The bus appears to have been traveling down the street and as it had just passed a large pine tree crashed into the roadway pulling down all the power lines onto the bus. The tree also pulled several power lines supplying houses in the area.

Londonderry fire, police, and Eversource were able to quickly make the situation safe and the children were removed within 45 minutes.

No one was injured in the incident, the road remains closed due to a tree covering the street. Restoration efforts are also underway by Eversource.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news.