NORTHBRIDGE — On Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, a school bus veered off Church Street Extension and crashed through the side of a bridge, coming within inches of plunging into the Blackstone River.
The crash happened at approximately 1:30 p.m., according to WCVB. The bus, which is from Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational High School, was left precariously hanging over the river.
No students were aboard the bus at the time of the crash, according to the Northbridge Police Department. The driver suffered several scrapes but did not require hospitalization, Northbridge Deputy Fire Chief Tony Genga told WCVB.
“The back side of the bus appears that it just got enough of the roadway to keep it out of the river,” Genga said.
Northbridge firefighters stabilized the bus using heavy rescue equipment, stabilizing jacks and the Jaws of Life. Crews also used chains and a tow truck equipped with a crane to pull the bus back onto the roadway.
“One false move, and it could go in the river,” Genga said while crews were working at the scene.
According to WCVB, the driver told officials that a tractor-trailer had been traveling in the opposite direction before the crash.
Church Street Extension was closed while emergency crews worked at the scene. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation was expected to inspect the bridge before it reopened to traffic.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
