Shortly after 9 a.m. this Thursday, a school bus headed towards Plaisance-du-Gers, loaded with its precious cargo: 21 students aged 8 to 10, two adult chaperones and their driver. On the program, a cinema session like children dream of. But the day was going to take a completely different turn, a stone’s throw from the tourist site of Carchet City.
It was on a bend in the RD28, near Aignan, that the vehicle suddenly left the roadway and ended up lying on its side. The exact circumstances of this exit from the road remain, at this time, still unknown. What is certain, however, is that the worst was avoided.
Twenty-one children on the asphalt, emergency services in battle order
When first aid arrived, a scene as striking as it was reassuring awaited the teams: all the passengers had already evacuated the bus by their own means. Eight children and one adult were nevertheless treated in relative emergency for minor injuries, according to information reported by our colleagues at The Noon Edition. An assessment which, over the hours, has become more refined.
The latest situation update communicated by the Gers prefecture at 11:30 a.m. reports five slightly injured children. Sixteen other students and four adults escaped unharmed, news which must have made many parents gasp, startled awake by the news.
Plan blanc déclenché, le Gers se mobilise
Alerted at 9:40 a.m. by center 15, the Auch hospital center was quick to activate a white plan and its crisis unit, mobilizing beds and medical reinforcements in anticipation of an influx of injured people. The establishment maintained permanent contact with the teams on the ground, the Gers prefecture and the Regional Health Agency, an exemplary coordination in the face of the unknown.
On the road side, the Gers Departmental Council announced the closure of the RD28 between Aignan and the RD3 in the direction of Marciac and Aire-sur-l’Adour. Motorists were invited to take a detour via departmental roads 3 and 48, through Termes-d’Armagnac and Fustéroau, a detour certainly restrictive, but very little in view of the threatened tragedy.
To summarize
A school bus carrying 21 students from Aignan (Gers) left the RD28 and rolled onto its side this Thursday morning. Five children slightly injured. White plan activated in Auch, road closed and diversion put in place by the Departmental Council.
