School bus crashes between South Prairie and Orting, no one injured

Published 10:04 am Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Multiple East Pierce Fire and Rescue crews responded to a school bus crash at 2:45 p.m. April 21 at the 13400 block of state Route 162, also known as Pioneer Way, between South Prairie and Orting. The bus was carrying 27 middle school students from the Orting Valley School District, according to Battalion Chief Rick Goetz.

Washington State Patrol troopers say the bus was traveling north when it ended up in a ditch, coming to rest on its side. All of the students had evacuated the bus by the time first responders arrived.

East Pierce crews, with assistance from Orting Valley Fire and Rescue, assessed each of the students. Goetz reports that there were no injuries and no one was transported to the hospital. A second bus arrived to take the students to the district office, where they could be united with their families. Orting Valley Fire Chief Zane Gibson says that two of the students required further evaluation once they arrived at the district office, but no injuries were found and the students were released to their parents.

The road in both directions was closed while the cause of the crash was investigated.