A nervous wreck.
That’s how one Larimore, N.D., woman felt hours after discovering the bus that carried her children safely home from school collided into a train -- in the very same spot her father was killed five years ago.
Amy Burns, who works for the school district, was driving home from work when someone stopped her on the road. She didn’t know anything was amiss.
“They said, ‘Where are your boys?’” she said. “I told them they were at home. They said, ‘Get home. The bus just hit the train.’”
She immediately called her husband, Brad. He told her their two boys, age 6 and 11, were home safe, she said.
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When Burns saw the commotion from the highway -- the police cars, the bus, the train -- she says was a nervous wreck, even though she’d heard her children were OK.
She remembered when her father, Darvin Friederich, 63,was killed by a freight train on Oct. 11, 2009. Like any normal day, he was just leaving Burns’ house and drove over the tracks,located right by her current home, she said.
According to a Herald report, a North Dakota Highway Patrol officer said Friederich had failed to yield to an eastbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe train, which pushed his vehicle 200 feet east. Friederich’s view was obstructed by trees, she said.
The news brought memories rushing back to her.
“It was not good when I pulled up,” she said.
Once Burns walked in the door, she arrived to the sight of her own boys and five other children, all crying. The other children were also on the bus, but they came to her house after the crash, though she isn’t sure how or why, she said.
“I was just trying to calm them down,” she said.
Three of the children were taken by ambulance to Altru Health System to be assessed, but they’re OK, Burns said.
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“I think my 6 year old’s a little nervous, shaken up a little bit,” she said. “They’re just asking a lot of questions.”
More on the crash:
Tragedy at the tracks: Student, driver killed after train and school bus crash
Accident brings back painful memories for Larimore woman
Larimore man dragged injured student out from under bus after crash with train
Larimore Strong: People react to fatal school bus crash in Larimore, North Dakota
Parents: Larimore crash victim tried to save students on bus
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Victims of Larimore crash remembered by family, friends
Community raises funds for Larimore crash victims
Larimore Strong: Train-school bus crash aftermath shows many people try to help
School bus crash likely to revive debate over bus seat belts
Fundraisers set for Larimore school bus-train crash victims
In Our Schools: FFA shows support for Larimore
More than 600 turn out for Larimore benefit
