School bus crashes into power pole in Hamilton

A bus crashed into a power pole this afternoon when a car failed to stop at a give way sign. Photo / Christine Cornege.

A group of Hamilton students heading home had a close call yesterday when their bus was in collision with a car and went head-on into a power pole.

The bus, carrying about 25 students from Hillcrest High School, Berkley Normal Middle School and St John's College, was on its way to Sacred Heart Girls College to pick up more pupils when the accident occurred on the corner of Firth and Wellington Sts in Hamilton East about 3.50pm.

The bus veered off the road and snapped the concrete power pole in two, leaving live wires draped across the street.

St John Ambulance paramedics attended to the bus driver, who had suspected whiplash injuries.

There were no reports of injuries to
passengers on the bus or to the people in the car.

Matthew Noble, a Year 9 Hillcrest High School student, was sitting in the front seat of the bus.

"All I remember was the contact from the car and then we saw the power pole and we were all, like, 'Whoa'.

"We were all in a bit of shock at the time, but we're all okay now."

Matthew, 14, looked around, saw everyone was okay, got out of the bus and went to check on the people in the car.

He said a man, a woman and two children inside the late-model Mazda sports car all appeared to be uninjured.

Sergeant Robert Banfield of Hamilton police said several of the students were
collected by their parents and another bus was arranged to pick up those waiting further on.

Investigators were to speak to the car driver last night as lines workers worked to make the area safe.

Mr Banfield said it was unclear whether anyone would face charges over the incident.