Nine teenagers and a driver were hospitalised yesterday after the minibus they were travelling in was crushed by a tree in a freak accident.
A massive tree crashed onto the bus just after 4 p.m. Nine of the bus full of teenagers were taken to hospital, one boy was said to be in a serious condition last night.
The bus was leaving home pupils from Castleblayney Secondary College and heading towards Dundalk when the accident happened. The high winds were blamed by gardaí as the cause of the accident at Concra on the main Castleblayney to Dundalk.
"This was an horrific accident and they are very lucky to be alive," said Garda Supt Tom Long.
One witness said the prompt action of Garda Padraig Gorman had to seen to be believed.
He was in a patrol car travelling a short distance behind the mini-bus and came on the accident almost immediately.
"The bus was trapped by the tree and the children were trapped inside it. I smashed the window of the bus and helped most of the school children out through it. We couldn't get to the driver and another girl," said the garda.
A lot of the students were in sixth year and preparing for their Leaving Certificate; three had been dropped off by the bus just moments before the freak accident.