In Hopkinton today, a school bus carrying 32 middle and high school students struck a utility pole on Cedar Street Extension, leading to a harrowing wait as downed power lines trapped them inside the vehicle. The incident, which took place around 7:26 a.m., ended without any life-threatening injuries, though emergency crews were required, the proximity of the power lines making it necessary for those aboard to stay put until help arrived, as per Boston 25 News.
After the collision, Hopkinton Fire and Police arrived on the scene, where they determined that no one was critically injured but the situation demanded extreme caution - police and fire personnel quickly assessed the situation and determined no life-threatening injuries, according to a joint press release, the site was cordoned off until Eversource could shut down power. Students remained in the bus with fallen wires posing a danger above them, preventing an immediate evacuation, until the area was deemed safe.
At 8:49 a.m., once it was confirmed the power lines were no longer live, students were finally able to exit the bus and were taken to Hopkinton Middle School. There, further evaluations were conducted by school nurses and paramedics, revealing only minor injuries among the students, "All students were evaluated by school nurses and paramedics," Boston 25 News noted in their coverage of the event. The students were either sent back to class or released to the guardianship of their parents.
The bus driver was also among those unharmed; Deputy Police Chief Scott van Raalten confirmed their wellbeing, according to MetroWest Daily News. Although the Cedar Street Extension remained closed for repairs as Eversource worked to replace the pole and restore power, the event was unsettling but ended with a collective sigh of relief from the community as the students emerged safe. The specifics of how the crash transpired are still not clear, and the investigation is ongoing with no charges filed against the bus driver at the time of reporting.
