School Bus House: Bus Carrying Grade School Students Crashes Into Suburban House

A Pennsylvania school bus crashed into a home on Tuesday that resulted in major damage to the structure, but only one person was hurt. The Wissahickon School District bus driver was immediately taken to the hospital, but his condition is unknown. Fox News reports that police say the bus crashed into a home in Blue Bell, Whitpain Township at around 7:45 a.m. Nine grade school students were on the bus at the time it hit the house. A school nurse examined the children and were given soft pretzels by the principal.

The first half of the school bus was inside the house, which rested in the living room area. It remained there until police completed their investigation five hours later. Four of the home’s residents weren’t injured in the crash.

One of the students, 11-year-old Isabel Llopias, opened the emergency exit door and led students off the school bus after it hit the house. All of the kids reportedly handled the situation calmly and were talking amongst themselves after the accident.

Students tell police they believe the bus driver was blacking out. ABC 6 News reports that the driver started to hyperventilate and hit the gas before crashing into the home, according to one of the St. Helena School students. The driver is described as a 58-year-old male. Principal, Sister Cathe Shoulberg, shares that the driver is “loved by students and parents.”

Isabel acted fast and opened the emergency exit door to help get her fellow students off the bus.

“I saw some adults out there and I said ‘help us, please!’ Then I saw the latch on the door. I opened it and I got out and then I was encouraging kids, I was like ‘C’mon, you’ve got to get out! C’mon, let’s go!”

Neighbors helped escort children to a nearby home, while the scene was under investigation.

Homeowner Jill Lafferty says the family was literally in the living room five seconds before the school bus came barreling through the wall.

The bus was removed from the house around 12:30 p.m. Workers stabilized the home, so it wouldn’t collapse.

Isabel is glad she could be of help to the nine other students after their school bus hit the house.

“It feels good because I know that I helped some people and it was really hard, a hard time, because there was a lot of panic. I never thought I would have to do that, but I just did it.”

[Photo Credit: Walter Perez / Twitter]