1 dead following school bus crash north of 100 Mile House

One person has died after a crash caused a school bus to run down an embankment off Highway 97 north of 100 Mile House.

The BC Highway Patrol says there was a pedestrian struck and killed at the scene. It confirmed that “the pedestrian was not related to the bus.”

“There was a subsequent collision on the highway where a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle. BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) attended the scene but despite life saving efforts the person did not survive,” said Corp. Melissa Jongema.

School District 27 superintendent Chris van der Mark says the students on the bus were in Grade 6 and Grade 7 from 100 Mile Elementary and Horse Lake Elementary.

There were over 30 people on the bus including students and adults who have all been accounted for.

BCEHS says the first call about the first incident came in at 12:55 p.m.

It says multiple resources were dispatched to the scene, including, “11 ambulances and response units with primary care and advanced care paramedics, 7 air ambulances with critical care paramedics, and multiple supervisors and area managers.”

Police say they are working with the local school district in order to help re-connect parents with their children.

Around 2:30 p.m., the BC RCMP said the highway at Butler Road in the Lac La Hache area was shut down to all traffic in both directions to allow first responders to safely attend the scene.

Police are asking the public to avoid the area until further notice to allow crews to work.

—With files from The Canadian Press