WEBSTER, NY – A fatal accident unfolded in upstate New York when a car failed to stop at a sign and collided with a school bus returning from a field trip. The crash resulted in the death of the car’s driver and his pet dog, and left a student and a school staff member injured. The impact of the collision ignited both vehicles, causing them to burst into flames, according to local law enforcement.
The driver of the car, identified as 73-year-old William Fierstein, reportedly ignored a stop sign on Webster Road in the town of Webster on Wednesday afternoon. His sedan crashed into a Wayne Central School District bus carrying 22 children, causing both vehicles to veer off the road and catch fire.
Eyewitness video footage captured the aftermath of the accident, showing plumes of smoke billowing from the burning vehicles. First responders were seen frantically searching the bus and sedan to ensure all occupants had been evacuated.
Fierstein and his dog tragically lost their lives in the crash. One student from the bus was rushed to the hospital with a leg injury, while a school staff member was also hospitalized. The remaining students and two adults on the bus were able to escape before the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Some of the children sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene.
A second school bus was dispatched to transport the students and teachers from a location approximately half a mile from the crash site. Webster Police Chief Dennis Kohlmeier expressed his condolences to the Fierstein family and commended the bus driver, chaperones, and students for their quick actions in evacuating the bus.
The Wayne Central School district also acknowledged the swift response of the first responders, stating that no life-threatening injuries were sustained by students or school personnel. The crash is currently under investigation by the Webster police.