FedEx Truck Slams Into Tour Bus full of Students, 9 Dead

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**Ahtman**

Source

ORLAND, Calif. (AP) — The long bus ride north from Los Angeles for a group of high school students who planned to visit Humboldt State University had been fun: The hours whizzed by as they watched movies, chatted up new friends, and jammed to hip-hop on the radio.
Steven Clavijo, 18, a senior at West Ranch High in Santa Clarita, was looking forward to his visit to Humboldt, where he planned to enroll. Just as Clavijo was trying to catch a nap Thursday afternoon, he said he felt the big vehicle begin to shake from left to right and then he heard a loud boom.

"We knew we were in major trouble," he said.

A FedEx tractor-trailer had crossed a grassy freeway median and slammed into the bus. At least nine were killed in the fiery crash.

Many of the more than 40 students on board escaped through a window that someone had kicked open, Clavijo said, running for their lives to the other side of Interstate 5 before hearing an explosion and seeing the bus burst into flame.

As he jumped out of the window, Clavijo said, he dropped his glasses and scraped his knee.

Two more explosions soon followed, he said, and he and other survivors looked on knowing others were still trapped in an inferno.

Massive flames could be seen devouring both vehicles just after the crash, and clouds of smoke billowed into the sky until firefighters doused the fire, leaving behind scorched black hulks of metal. Bodies were draped in blankets inside the burned-out bus.

California Highway Patrol Officer Lacy Heitman said the driver of the tractor-trailer was among the dead. CHP dispatchers initially said the bus driver also died, but Heitman later said investigators were working to identify the eight victims on the bus, which carried between 44 and 48 students, four chaperones and the driver.
The crash happened a little after 5:30 p.m. on the interstate near Orland, a small city about 100 miles north of Sacramento.

The bus was one of two that the admissions office at Humboldt State University had chartered to bring prospective students from Southern California to tour the Arcata campus, Humboldt's Vice President of Administrative Affairs Joyce Lopes said.

The bus was owned by Silverado Stages, a tour bus company based in San Luis Obisbo. The company said in a statement on its website Thursday night that it was assisting authorities in gathering information.

"Our top priority is making sure that the injured are being cared for," the company said.

Humboldt State President Rollin Richmond issued a statement on the school's website. "Our hearts go out to those who have been affected, and we are here to support them, and their families, in any way possible," Richmond said.

The students came from a number of Southern California high schools and Humboldt spokesman Simon Chabel said the college was working to confirm where in Southern California all the were from.

**djones520**

That's horrible.

I've always been amazed that there aren't more deadly crashes with school busses. They always seemed like death traps to me.

**Frazzled**

That looks like a coach bus. Yerg I was a chaperone like that for the band a few times and wife many many times. Sad.

**timetowaste85**

That really sucks. Does anyone know what caused the FedEx truck to cross the median? Cell phone? Heart attack? Sneeze?

**BlaxicanX**

It's believed that he swerved into the oncoming traffic to avoid a third car that was broken down in the middle of the road or something.

**Ahtman**

timetowaste85 wrote:
That really sucks. Does anyone know what caused the FedEx truck to cross the median? Cell phone? Heart attack? Sneeze?

Body count is up to 10 now, not 9, with both drivers, three chaperones, and five students not making it. I don't think there is any word yet on the cause of the FedEx truck, but then looking at the pictures an autopsy may take awhile due to the fire/explosion if it wasn't a mechanical issue. Turns out it was a bus full of poor kids that did well and were being given an opportunity to go to college because of grades and service.

**Relapse**

Sad and horrible. Looking at that picture, it's a wonder so few died. That bus doesn't look like it has any escape points other than the front door. I'm sure I'm wrong on that.

**LordofHats**

Ahtman wrote:
Turns out it was a bus full of poor kids that did well and were being given an opportunity to go to college because of grades and service.

Guess its one of those days the universe decides humans are having it a little too easy and need to be gak on again

**hotsauceman1**

Like my mom said. The saddest thing is these where studentd Who where visiting a school they wished to attend. They had a future that they won't get

**Johnnytorrance**

Is it bad that the first thing I thought about was whether GW ships via FedEx or UPS for my recent order?

**LordofHats**

Johnnytorrance wrote:
Is it bad that the first thing I thought about was whether GW ships via FedEx or UPS for my recent order?

In the US Gw ships UPS so we can't blame this one on the hidden cocaine shipments in the space marine boxes.

**Grey Templar**

Now reports are saying the Truck was on fire before the crash and no attempt was made by the driver to brake.

**poppa G**

Sucks when kids die.

**Relapse**

Grey Templar wrote:
Now reports are saying the Truck was on fire before the crash and no attempt was made by the driver to brake.

I wonder if he could brake or if the fire took that ability out.

**Grey Templar**

I doubt a fire would burn that hot and fast enough to disallow breaking before you realized there was a fire.

Either he was already incapacitated before the crash occurred or he didn't want to brake.

**dogma**

I'm an idiot.

The ECM on the truck is clearly distinct from that on the bus.

**hotsauceman1**

Grey Templar wrote:
I doubt a fire would burn that hot and fast enough to disallow breaking before you realized there was a fire.

Either he was already incapacitated before the crash occurred or he didn't want to brake.

Or her was like "OH GOD IM ON FIRE" I bet that his eyes was closed because he WAS ON FIRE

**Grey Templar**

Piece of burning vehicle is destroyed by fire. Details at 11.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Grey Templar wrote:
I doubt a fire would burn that hot and fast enough to disallow breaking before you realized there was a fire.

Either he was already incapacitated before the crash occurred or he didn't want to brake.

Or her was like "OH GOD IM ON FIRE" I bet that his eyes was closed because he WAS ON FIRE

Which again makes little sense. How could the fire spread from the engine compartment to the cabin so quickly without any foul play. And no braking. The first thing I'd be doing in such a situation would be brake and GTFO.

**Ahtman**

Perhaps we should wait until there is some evidence before making any proclamations about what happened beyond what we know with certainty. Even the claim the truck was on fire prior is still uncorroborated, and could be total bs.

**LordofHats**

Ahtman wrote:
Perhaps we should wait until there is some evidence before making any proclamations about what happened beyond what we know with certainty. Even the claim the truck was on fire prior is still uncorroborated, and could be total bs.

Pft. This is dakkadakka off topic, not CommonSense.com

EDIT: And CommonSense.com is terrible btw XD

**Soladrin**

Grey Templar wrote:
Piece of burning vehicle is destroyed by fire. Details at 11.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Grey Templar wrote:
I doubt a fire would burn that hot and fast enough to disallow breaking before you realized there was a fire.

Either he was already incapacitated before the crash occurred or he didn't want to brake.

Or her was like "OH GOD IM ON FIRE" I bet that his eyes was closed because he WAS ON FIRE

Which again makes little sense. How could the fire spread from the engine compartment to the cabin so quickly without any foul play. And no braking. The first thing I'd be doing in such a situation would be brake and GTFO.

Not all fires start in the engine. For all you know the guy was smoking and dropped his cig on something flamable.

**KingCracker**

Soladrin wrote:
Grey Templar wrote:
Piece of burning vehicle is destroyed by fire. Details at 11.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Grey Templar wrote:
I doubt a fire would burn that hot and fast enough to disallow breaking before you realized there was a fire.

Either he was already incapacitated before the crash occurred or he didn't want to brake.

Or her was like "OH GOD IM ON FIRE" I bet that his eyes was closed because he WAS ON FIRE

Which again makes little sense. How could the fire spread from the engine compartment to the cabin so quickly without any foul play. And no braking. The first thing I'd be doing in such a situation would be brake and GTFO.

Not all fires start in the engine. For all you know the guy was smoking and dropped his cig on something flamable.

Not to mention, here's a what if. What if he went to break while dodging the broken down car and his brake system failed causing a rupture in a line or hell, the reservoir itself and it sprayed on the hot engine. That would not only cause him to be unable break,but his truck would catch fire in an insanely fast time frame.

**Soladrin**

KingCracker wrote:
Soladrin wrote:
Grey Templar wrote:
Piece of burning vehicle is destroyed by fire. Details at 11.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Grey Templar wrote:
I doubt a fire would burn that hot and fast enough to disallow breaking before you realized there was a fire.

Either he was already incapacitated before the crash occurred or he didn't want to brake.

Or her was like "OH GOD IM ON FIRE" I bet that his eyes was closed because he WAS ON FIRE

Which again makes little sense. How could the fire spread from the engine compartment to the cabin so quickly without any foul play. And no braking. The first thing I'd be doing in such a situation would be brake and GTFO.

Not all fires start in the engine. For all you know the guy was smoking and dropped his cig on something flamable.

Not to mention, here's a what if. What if he went to break while dodging the broken down car and his brake system failed causing a rupture in a line or hell, the reservoir itself and it sprayed on the hot engine. That would not only cause him to be unable break,but his truck would catch fire in an insanely fast time frame.

And then there's all the possible cargo that could have something bad in there.

**KingCracker**

Exactly. The Titanic couldn't sink and Apollo 13 was a 1 in a billion chance. Sometimes perfect storms just happen. Fire everywhere, driver panics (duh) and over corrects. Rest is history

**Captain Fantastic**

Are the packages okay?!!?

**kronk**

Horrible tragedy.

**KingCracker**

Captain Fantastic wrote:
Are the packages okay?!!?

Uhg........ trolls..... this is why I fracking can't stand them. Children died from this, show some respect

**Ahtman**

Source

One of the teens who died apparently did so saving other students.

Ismael Jimenez, a teenager who was killed in last week's bus crash in California, died a hero.

The 18-year-old high school student perished while helping save fellow passengers after a FedEx truck crashed into the bus they were riding on a highway near Orland, Calif., according to officials from Jimenez's high school.

Four other students, three adults and both the bus and FedEx drivers died in the crash.

Jimenez, who was a student at Animo Inglewood Charter High School and would have been the first in his family to attend college, reportedly "busted open a window at the front of the bus as it was filling with smoke and people were getting burned," according to a statement from school Chief Executive Marco Petruzzi. "He started lifting kids out in an effort to save them."

"Ismael will forever be remembered as someone who forever affected the lives of young people he barely knew. He was indeed a hero," the statement continued.

"It's been very hard," Jimenez's sister Evelin told CBS-LA, "because you go to sleep thinking when you wake up, you'll see him. And I haven't seen him. So it's very difficult."

"He went ahead and saved others before he saved himself, which is, to me, beautiful," she said.

Jimenez's family told NBC-4 that he was an honor student and wanted to become an artist. The bus, full of high school students, had been traveling back to Los Angeles after visiting the campus of Humboldt State University in northern California.

A memorial fund has been set up by Jimenez's family.

**DarkTraveler777**

A damn fine showing on Mr. Jimenez's part conducting such a selfless act to assist others. Hopefully that knowledge will offer his loved ones some comfort as they come to terms with his loss.

**Bullockist**

KingCracker wrote:
Captain Fantastic wrote:
Are the packages okay?!!?

Uhg........ trolls..... this is why I fracking can't stand them. Children died from this, show some respect

Trolls eat children.

On a serious note, it could be likely that the driver just panicked and hit the wrong pedal or something. Lets face it, in stress situations humans are not rational. I'd be willing to accept that hypothesis long before I thought about a mechanical/physical one. The driver may have had the universal human response of "even though I'm on fire I am going to outrun the flames".

I pity everyone who died, not just the children.