School of Saint-Jean, Geneva

Update 11:30 Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The end of the year “Boom” or school festival in Geneva’s St Jean district ended on a tragic note Thursday night 25 June when two children were struck by a car on Rue de St Jean in front of the elementary school.

The festive mood at the school suddenly turned into a parent’s nightmare when a former student and her 3-year-old brother were struck by a vehicle around 22:00. The Geneva Police and paramedics arrived on the scene shortly after and converted picnic tables set up for the party into a makeshift triage center for the two injured children, who were later taken to the hospital. Their lives are not in danger but the hospital is not releasing further information.

End of school year party in Geneva ends tragically

What had been a bright evening of music and socializing among parents and children quickly disintegrated into chaos and sobbing when an unidentified adult ran into the crowded schoolyard carrying the injured 3-year-old in her arms and screaming for assistance. Shortly after, cries of lament could be heard throughout the schoolyard as the crowd, including friends and family of the injured, realized what had happened.

The posted speed limit on the street in front of the school is 30 km/hr. However, outside of school hours the crosswalk is unpatrolled and drivers frequently ignore the posted caution signs. The evening’s incident marks the second serious accident in the neighbourhood in the past 1-1/2 years. In 2008 a woman was fatally injured when she was struck by a vehicle while crossing Route d’Aire by Place des Charmilles.

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