A routine afternoon ride home turned scary near McHenry on Monday when a full-size school bus carrying a driver and two young children struck a utility pole and slid into a ditch, leaving one child with minor injuries. Crews from the Nunda Rural Fire Protection District arrived to find power lines draped over the bus and kept everyone on board until utility workers could make the scene safe. Paramedics evaluated all three occupants; one child was taken to a local hospital, while the other was released to a parent at the roadside.
Crash scene and rescue
Nunda Rural Fire Protection District Chief Mike Keenan told reporters that crews had to treat the bus like a live-wire danger zone from the moment they pulled up. "We kept the occupants on the bus until the power was confirmed to be fully secured," he said, according to FOX 32 Chicago. Firefighters reported that the impact snapped a utility pole and brought down wires, leaving tensioned lines hanging above the vehicle. Crews staged carefully and waited while ComEd isolated the circuits before moving anyone. The district later thanked nearby school district representatives and mutual-aid partners who helped manage the tense scene.
Timeline and injuries
First responders were dispatched shortly after 4:30 p.m., and the careful extraction took roughly an hour. All three occupants were brought off the bus just before 5:30 p.m., according to CBS Chicago. Medics evaluated the driver and both children on site. The driver was not hurt, and one child was transported to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. Crews stayed on scene for nearly two hours while the bus was recovered and utility crews finished their electrical work.
Who was on board and investigation
Officials said the children on the bus were between 4 and 6 years old, and the second child was released directly to parents at the scene, as reported by the Northwest Herald. The Cary Fire Protection District and the McHenry County Sheriff's Office assisted with the response. The sheriff's office has opened a formal investigation into the crash, and officials have not yet said why the bus left the roadway.
Weather and road conditions
The National Weather Service had a winter weather advisory in place for parts of northern Illinois on Monday, warning of additional snow and slick roads that can complicate both driving and emergency response. First responders routinely urge drivers to slow down and give themselves extra stopping distance during advisory conditions because of reduced visibility and icy patches. The advisory covered McHenry County and neighboring areas while crews worked the scene, according to the National Weather Service Chicago.
The McHenry County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the crash and has not released details about what caused the bus to veer off course, the Northwest Herald reports. Nunda Rural Fire Protection District officials said crews will review their response while deputies pursue the case. Authorities may release additional information as the investigation moves forward.
