Chipman-Lamont school bus-train collision

Chipman-Lamont school bus-train collision
Crash site Crash site (Alberta)
Details
Date	February 29, 1960
Location	Lamont, Alberta
Statistics
Vehicles	2 (bus, train)
Passengers	42
Deaths	17

The Chipman-Lamont school bus-train collision occurred on November 29, 1960, when a bus carrying 42 students from Chipman, Alberta, near Edmonton, Alberta, was struck by a freight train, just east of Lamont, Alberta, killing 17 on board.

Accident

On November 29, 1960, a bus carrying 42 students from the town of Chipman, Alberta, was struck at a railway crossing on their way to a neighboring high school in the town of Lamont, Alberta. The impact caused the bus to hit a metal pole, sheering it in half; the train dragged the front half a kilometer down the tracks before the train was able to stop. A teacher in a car directly behind the bus recalled the bus stopping at the crossing, then continuing through just prior to the train hitting. Bodies were scattered throughout the wreckage with some bodies so badly injured that they could not be recognized. Of the 42 students on the bus, 17 were killed, with many others hospitalized with severe injuries. The driver of the bus survived the crash while sustaining critical injuries.

Aftermath

The driver of the bus was charged with criminal negligence, however, was acquitted at a later date.

Legacy

The Chipman-Lamont school bus-train collision remains the deadliest traffic accident in Alberta history. In May, 2021, a Gofundme was set up to raise money for a memorial to honor the victims. Two memorials were erected in 2022, one at the site of the accident and one in Chipman, Alberta.

See also

List of deadliest Canadian traffic accidents

List of traffic collisions (before 2000)

List of disasters in Canada