A collision between a chartered bus full of Peoria area high school students and a tractor-trailer sent at least 36 people to local hospitals late last Wednesday night. The truck accident occurred on Interstate 39 in North Central Illinois about 40 miles north of Bloomington near the town of Losant. The school bus, which was carrying fifty-six students from Dunlap High School, was on its way back from an annual trip to Chicago when the accident occurred. According to reports, the bus was southbound on Interstate 39 when a semi truck jack-knifed in front of the bus. Icy road conditions were prevalent however Illinois State Police spokeswoman Paris Ervin refused to speculate on a cause.
According to the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office ten ambulances responded to the accident transporting victims to three area hospitals. Thirteen victims were taken to St. Margaret’s Hospital in Spring Valley, IL, while another twenty-three were treated by llinois Valley Hospital in Peru, IL. An undisclosed number of injured were also taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Streator, IL. Hospital personnel have not reported any serious injuries as a result of the accident. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.