A Dunklin R-5 School District bus that was transporting about 35 middle school and high school students home ran into a downed powerline at about 2:55 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, in the 1500 block of Herky Horine Road in Pevely, Superintendent Clint Freeman said.
“The tree fell and at the same time the bus driver was coming down the road,” Freeman said. “A branch grabbed a wire and yanked it off the pole. The wire hit the side of the bus and wrapped around the mirror. Because it wasn’t known if it was a live wire or not, no one could get off the bus, and it was draped across the door.”
An Ameren spokesman said the line was dead after the tree dislodged it from the utility pole. He said an employee responded to the area at 3:17 p.m. and removed the line.
“I was very impressed by the response time of Ameren,” Freeman said. “They were there within minutes, and the gentleman quickly got in his bucket truck, lifted the bucket, cut the wire and in about five or six minutes, we were on our way.
“It was an amazing effort by Pevely Police, Herculaneum Police, Dunklin Fire (Protection District), Joachim-Plattin (Ambulance District) and Ameren. Also, our bus driver stayed calm, and the transportation department communicated well.”
Pevely Police Chief Mark Glenn said the road was temporarily closed while Ameren removed the wire and the road reopened shortly after the wire was removed.
No one was injured, and all students were safely transported home, Freeman said.
An Ameren spokesman said about 100 customers lost power, adding that power was restored to the area at about 7 p.m.