Not going to get much sleep tonight

[jtbell]

My wife, who teaches German at the same college where I teach, organized an excursion for dinner tonight at a German restaurant in another town about a 45-minute drive away, including about 15 students and some faculty and staff. We all drove down there in several cars.

After dinner, a couple of the staff left first, then the students, and then my wife and I left about ten minutes later. A couple of emergency vehicles passed us, heading in our direction, then about halfway home we found the road blocked by an accident scene. The cars in front of us were turning around, so we did likewise, and found an alternate route home, wondering whether that wreck involved our group.

When we got home around 10:30 PM, my wife started calling around. The staff who left first had returned without incident. Someone dug up some cellphone numbers. So far all we know is that nobody's been able to contact any of the students in that group, except for one who answered her phone from a hospital bed and got cut off before she could give much information.

So now we're waiting to see what other information comes in. If it turns out to be a multi-car wreck, it will probably hit the local TV news in the morning. Nothing on the 11 PM news as far as I could tell, but that was probably too early.

 

[Evo]

My wife, who teaches German at the same college where I teach, organized an excursion for dinner tonight at a German restaurant in another town about a 45-minute drive away, including about 15 students and some faculty and staff. We all drove down there in several cars.

After dinner, a couple of the staff left first, then the students, and then my wife and I left about ten minutes later. A couple of emergency vehicles passed us, heading in our direction, then about halfway home we found the road blocked by an accident scene. The cars in front of us were turning around, so we did likewise, and found an alternate route home, wondering whether that wreck involved our group.

When we got home around 10:30 PM, my wife started calling around. The staff who left first had returned without incident. Someone dug up some cellphone numbers. So far all we know is that nobody's been able to contact any of the students in that group, except for one who answered her phone from a hospital bed and got cut off before she could give much information.

So now we're waiting to see what other information comes in. If it turns out to be a multi-car wreck, it will probably hit the local TV news in the morning. Nothing on the 11 PM news as far as I could tell, but that was probably too early.

Can you check with local hospitals or police in the area? I am so sorry to hear this.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

That's terrible JT! Hoping for the best.

 

[jwxie]

Second what Evo said.
You should call the local police right now to find out.
In almost all cases, they are willing to tell you how many were injured and which hospital.

 

[G037H3]

Comfort your wife. >_< and yeah, call the police and inquire.

 

[jtbell]

We just got a call from the college president. Two students were killed, and three are in the hospital (not the one we were thinking they would be in).

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

We just got a call from the college president. Two students were killed, and three are in the hospital (not the one we were thinking they would be in).

ugh

 

[GeorginaS]

Oh my god, jtbell. That's horrible. I'm so sorry for everyone involved, including you and your wife. You must be so upset.

 

[D H]

My condolences to your student's families and to you and your wife. So sorry to read this.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Oh no. I'm very sorry to hear this. Our hearts go out to you, your wife, and everyone concerned.

 

[mishrashubham]

I'm so sorry to hear this. May you and the families have the strength to go through these difficult times.

 

[jtbell]

Thanks, everybody.

One of the two that were killed was from Germany, so in a few hours my wife has to call the parents. Fortunately she won't have to break the news to them, because the German consulate has arranged for someone over there to notify them in person. But she's the only member of the faculty or staff who speaks German well enough to handle something like this, and she knew the student, so she has to represent the college.

It was in fact "only" a single-car wreck, with five students in the car. No information about the circumstances yet. It's obviously being investigated.

 

[Borg]

Very sorry to hear this as well. My condolences to everyone.

 

[George Jones]

What a tragedy. My condolences to everyone involved.

 

[Andre]

Always hard to deal with such a tragedy. Wishing the best to everybody involved.

 

[Astronuc]

My condolences to the families and you and the staff jt.

 

[Monique]

So sorry to hear this. It must be hard on you and your wife, not to imagine the survivors and the parents. My sincere condolences.

 

[Borek]

So sorry to hear such a horrible news, JT. As Alanis Morissette put it, "life has a funny way of sneaking up on you". My sincere condolences.

 

[lisab]

Oh this is horrible news, I'm so sorry to hear it. My heart goes out to you and the families of the students.