BARTLETT, Ill. – Two students are hospitalized, one in critical condition, after being hit by a school bus at Bartlett High School Friday afternoon.
The incident happened at 3:20 p.m. at the high school, located at 701 W. Schick Road, just after students were dismissed for the weekend.
According to Bartlett police, the students, a boy and a girl, were running alongside the bus as it was pulling into the bus lane after dismissal. Both fell and were struck by the bus.
The male student is in good condition after being transported to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates with an arm injury, fire officials said.
The female student was airlifted to Loyola Medicine – a Level 1 Trauma Center – on Friday evening, where she is being treated for life-threatening injuries, according to the Bartlett Fire Department.
On Friday night, a high school football game against Larkin was still played at Bartlett High School. There, students were just beginning to process what happened.
“We saw the backpack in the road, all scattered,” said Brianne Berg, a junior at Bartlett High School.
Berg was leaving swim practice when she saw the aftermath of the accident. Police tape surrounded the school bus and investigators were on scene.
“When I saw it, it was just like jaw-dropping in a way. You just stood still for a second,” said Berg.
Sophomore student Imran Khan shares that while the parking lot can be hectic during dismissal, it’s usually well-supervised.
“I’m kind of surprised that something like this would happen, because our deans take really good care. We have like four to five deans that walk around the area, especially when students are leaving the school and bus transportation,” said Khan. “It’s definitely eye-opening.”
Bartlett High School Principal Timothy Brodeur acknowledged the incident in a newsletter that was emailed to students on Friday, writing in part: “We are grateful for the prompt response of our staff and emergency responders.”
School District U-46 issued a statement on the incident, shared below:
“At Bartlett High School today, Oct. 18, two students were involved in a school bus incident during dismissal. Emergency personnel responded quickly, and both students received immediate attention. The safety and well-being of our students are a top priority. We are working closely with local authorities and school staff to review the situation.”
The ages of the students who were struck by the bus have not yet been released.
Bartlett police are investigating the incident.
This is a developing story and we’ll bring more updates as they become available.
