Ontario Provincial Police say a collision between a school bus and an SUV early Friday morning in St. Clair Township led to a fire. The crash occurred around 6:49 a.m. at the intersection of Plank Road and LaSalle Line.
Emergency crews from Lambton OPP, St. Clair Fire Department, and Lambton County EMS responded to the scene, where students were on board the bus at the time. One student was treated at the scene for minor injuries, while the SUV driver was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Fire officials said the impact caused the SUV to catch fire, which then spread to the bus. All students were safely evacuated, and the fire was extinguished by responding crews. Firefighters cleared the scene by about 8:30 a.m., while police remained for investigation.
The intersection was closed for several hours for cleanup and reopened around 10 a.m. Police say the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Update – Ontario Provincial Police say their investigation has led to charges against the school bus driver involved in the collision. Under the Highway Traffic Act, the 68-year-old driver from Petrolia has been charged for failing to yield to traffic.