Article content Nine Department of National Defence employees were involved in Friday’s OC Transpo bus crash at Westboro station, DND confirmed Tuesday. Five of those individuals were civilian employees and four were members of the military, DND said in a statement from Deputy Minister Jody Thomas and Gen. Jonathan Vance, chief of the defence staff. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Nine DND employees involved in Westboro bus crash, military confirms Back to video There was no immediate confirmation on whether those nine people were among the 23 who were injured in the crash. The westbound No. 269 Connexion route begins its run at DND Headquarters on the Mackenzie King Bridge. “This has the potential to change their lives forever and we are keeping them and their families in our thoughts as they begin to heal. We are also reaching out to those affected to make sure they receive the fullest support we can offer,” the release stated. It also expressed support and condolences for the friends and family of the three people killed, all of whom were federal public servants. It urged those affected by the crash to seek help if they need it.<doc-sep>An Ottawa public servant has launched a GoFundMe campaign aiming to raise $1 million to support the families of those severely injured and killed in last week’s fatal double-decker bus crash, after learning his coworker was among those seriously injured in the collision. At the start of Friday afternoon’s rush hour, OC Transpo express bus No. 269 smashed into the shelter at the Westboro transit station, located west of downtown Ottawa. The shelter’s overhang sliced through the right side of the upper deck, a violent collision that left three people dead and injured 23 others. READ MORE: Police identify victims in deadly Ottawa bus crash The online fundraiser aiming to collect seven figures is a credible one, Steve Fraser said in an interview with Global News. “I just want to let people know who I am and know that there is a face and a genuine person behind this that’s going to attempt everything they can to do the right thing with these funds to support the families in this tragedy … and provide the opportunity for the community to come together and support them themselves as well,” Fraser said. Story continues below advertisement In order to protect his coworker’s privacy at a difficult time, Fraser declined to provide their name and what federal department he works for. Ottawa police said they believe the bus was near or at full capacity (around 90 people) when it crashed while on its way to Bridlewood, a neighbourhood in Kanata, a suburb of Ottawa. The Ottawa Police Service is leading the investigation into the possible causes of the deadly collision, saying they are speaking to witnesses, probing data, examining the conditions of the weather and roadway, and reviewing the actions of the driver. An update on the investigation is expected Wednesday afternoon. Impairment has been ruled out as a possible cause, according to police. Investigators have warned the investigation will be “long and detailed and complex.” WATCH: ‘The whole city is grieving right now’: Watson offers condolences to families of 3 killed in Ottawa bus crash 2:14 ‘The whole city is grieving right now’: Watson offers condolences to families of 3 killed in Ottawa bus crash ‘The whole city is grieving right now’: Watson offers condolences to families of 3 killed in Ottawa bus crash – Jan 14, 2019 Fraser said, an Ottawa resident, he didn’t know until he returned to work on Monday that his colleague had been seriously injured. While he declined to provide specific details about his coworker’s condition, he did point to reports that some passengers had undergone amputations and said his colleague’s injuries were “very much in nature with that.” Story continues below advertisement The civil servant said he was also inspired to launch the GoFundMe because of his own family’s experience dealing with a life-altering, medical situation. His father became a quadriplegic when Fraser was 15 years old, he said. “I’m very much understanding of the financial, physical and emotional needs that are going to be required to support these families,” Fraser said. “It is life-changing and you feel like the sky is falling and you think that, yeah, you don’t really know what the future holds.” Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It is life-changing and you feel like the sky is falling and you think that, yeah, you don't really know what the future holds." “All I can say is that even that’s where these families are at right now, you will move forward and there will be good times forward, and you will have, maybe not the life you expected, but you will have a life and you will have the good, bad, same as anybody else,” he said. READ MORE: TSB says Transport Canada has much to do in terms of safety regulations on transit vehicles Fraser said the money he raises will be divided and disbursed to the families who lost loved ones in the crash and to those who suffered “significant physical injuries.” He plans to consult a lawyer about how best to manage the fundraiser, identify the recipients of the funds and appropriately disburse the money, he said. He’s unsure at this point how long he’ll keep the fundraiser active online. Story continues below advertisement His office is also fundraising internally to support their colleague, Fraser said, He described his work team as coping with the difficult news “in a very natural way.” “I think that everyone just initially has that shock and that disbelief that it’s happened to someone so close to you and I think we all go through that, and then after that, that shock transfers to the needs of that individual,” he said. “So definitely, I know the office will rally around this and the family involved and we will definitely look after our own as well.” Other GoFundMe campaigns launched to support family of victim, injured passenger Three separate GoFundMe fundraisers have also been launched in recent days to support the family of Bruce Thomlinson, a 56-year-old employee of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) who died as a result of Friday’s bus crash. One of the fundraisers, which appears to be organized by Thomlinson’s colleagues at the CBSA, is trying to raise $25,000. A second campaign, describing Thomlinson as a “devoted father” who was “always smiling,” is aiming to raise another $20,000. “Funds will help the family deal with emergency expenses and unexpected funeral costs,” the webpage says. READ MORE: Ottawa distress centre getting more calls in wake of deadly bus crash Story continues below advertisement A third campaign seeks to raise $3,000 to help Thomlinson’s family “go through the tragic loss,” organizer Annick Barbieux wrote in a post on her Facebook account. Barbieux described Thomlinson as her “bus buddy for a few years.” “His happiness and goofy sense of humour will be greatly missed by a lot of people in the community,” Barbieux wrote on the GoFundMe site. Another GoFundMe campaign for injured passenger Julie Davis has been active since Jan. 12, the day after the double-decker crash.<doc-sep>Share this Story: 'Just incredible': Community rallies around Ottawa bus crash survivor with Down syndrome 'Just incredible': Community rallies around Ottawa bus crash survivor with Down syndrome Photo by Tony Caldwell / Postmedia Article content Friday’s bus crash at Westboro Station did more than shatter lives. For one 25-year-old Bridlewood resident with Down syndrome, it also shattered confidence. “We know it will take baby steps for Elizabeth to get back on the bus,” says her mother, Lyne Filion, who made a public appeal on the Bridlewood Parents Facebook page asking for support. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 'Just incredible': Community rallies around Ottawa bus crash survivor with Down syndrome Back to video “I put up this post about Elizabeth being on the bus (that crashed) and how we’re working on getting her back on the bus,” Lyne said. “So maybe if people see her, they could support her or even just say ‘Hi, Elizabeth, I’m here if you need me. I see you’re upset. We can call your parents. Or if you just need someone to sit beside you, that’s what we’ll do.” The family wasn’t prepared for what happened next. “The outpouring of responses was just incredible and overwhelming,” Lyne said. “It was so, so wonderful.” A neighbour brought them dinner. Another is knitting Elizabeth a hat with a button on it that says “Love.” Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “So when Elizabeth wears that hat, she’ll know that the whole community is behind her and wants her to be that confident, independent young woman that she was before.” Elizabeth started bus training about five years ago as she prepared for life after high school. Her parents drilled her on the unexpected: What do you do if a bus breaks down? What happens if you fall asleep and miss your stop? What if you get on the wrong bus? But nothing prepared Elizabeth for what happened Friday afternoon as she rode Route 269 home from her art class at at the Bronson Centre. Elizabeth was sitting in the priority seats just behind the driver on the door side when the bus slammed into the platform. The impact threw her against the stairs to the upper deck. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “Because Elizabeth was in priority seating right near the front, she was one of the first passengers off,” Lyne said. “She saw some horrific images.” Elizabeth was left alone on the platform, sobbing and trying to call her parents on her dying cellphone when a Good Samaritan took her under her wing. The Good Samaritan, who did not want to be interviewed for this story, told Lyne she had been a passenger at the back of the bus when she saw Elizabeth in distress amidst the chaos. “Well, first she calmed me right down,” Elizabeth said. “Then she took me on the bus” (where other survivors were being sheltered.) Elizabeth and her family visited the Good Samaritan on Tuesday night to thank her for what she’d done. Lyne said the woman said that assisting Elizabeth helped her deal with her own trauma. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “She said to me, ‘I was in the same state as Elizabeth. But as soon as I saw her, I knew I needed to look after her. It gave me a job. I had someone I needed to be calm for and to help and support. I just went into that mom-mode.’ “‘Elizabeth helped me as much as I helped her,'” she told Lyne during their meeting. “I gave her the biggest hug in the world,” Lyne said. “I was so thankful that she was there. So thankful.” Photo by Tony Caldwell / Postmedia The woman helped Elizabeth call home and, within 30 minutes of the crash, Elizabeth’s dad, Simon, was at the scene and managed to whisk her away to home. Lyne has nothing but praise for the first responders at the scene, who were shaking from the cold as they interviewed witnesses. “The police officers were very kind and very respectful of Elizabeth. They were asking Elizabeth the questions. They treated her like the young responsible adult that she is. They treated her with dignity and that’s important to me.” Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Elizabeth still has pain across her shoulders and neck and down her back. She was diagnosed with moderate whiplash and had X-rays taken Tuesday to see if she has any fractures from the impact. Her parents hope she can begin counselling and physiotherapy soon, from therapists experienced in dealing with people with challenges such as Elizabeth’s. Elizabeth is fearful of buses since the crash and panics when she sees a double-decker. On Tuesday, she took her first, short bus ride home from the hospital with her mom. “How did you think you did, Elizabeth?” Lyne asks. “Fine,” Elizabeth replies. “I think you did fine, too.” bcrawford@postmedia.com Twitter.com/getBAC MORE COVERAGE: All three killed in Friday’s crash were on the OC Transp bus, police chief clarifies Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ottawa Citizen Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up!<doc-sep>The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) will join the investigation into a bus crash at Ottawa's Westboro station last week that left three people dead and nearly two dozen injured, Ottawa police say. The TSB will provide "technical expertise with respect to safety matters relating to this collision," and will have no role in assigning either criminal or civil fault, Chief Charles Bordeleau said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. Bordeleau said Ottawa police made a "formal request" for the federal agency's help. "Our officers do amazing work. They're experts in their field. But there are certain things that the TSB does have access to ... that will help us find all the answers that we are looking for," he said. "I'm pleased that they're full partners in supporting us." The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will now be part of the investigation into a fatal crash last week that involved a double-decker OC Transpo bus at Ottawa's Westboro station. (Justin Tang/Canadian Press) Bus crashed into shelter Three people were killed and 23 injured when a close-to-full Route 269 double-decker bus taking downtown passengers to the western suburb of Kanata crashed into the bus shelter. The TSB's mandate is to advance transportation safety by conducting investigations that result in public reports and making recommendations. It had previously said it was willing to assist with the case, but didn't have the legal power to take over the investigation. Bordeleau said police reached out to the TSB immediately following the Jan. 11 crash, and he decided yesterday to allow the board to "augment the reconstruction portion of this investigation." Ottawa police would continue to lead the investigation, he said. Brad Hampson, a former collision investigation officer who also knew one of the three who died, Judy Booth, told CBC on Tuesday he thinks the TSB should investigate major public transit collisions. "I know [police are] doing a bang-up job, they are experts in their craft and I have full faith they're going to do everything that they can to get to the bottom of how this all occurred," he said. "Generally in these types of accidents, with the major recommendations that are going to be coming out of them, it might be something that people might want to think about is mandating that [the TSB] be involved in these types of investigations, of course with the lead agency being the local police forces." 'There are certain things that the TSB does have access to ... that will help us find all the answers that we are looking for,' Ottawa Police Service Chief Charles Bordeleau said at a news conference Wednesday. (Laura Osman/CBC) 3 killed were aboard bus Bordeleau also offered updates on the investigation, now in its fifth day — including news that all three people killed had been passengers on the bus. Initial reports suggested one of the three had been standing on the Westboro station platform. Two people were also thrown from the bus, Bordeleau said. They were seriously hurt but survived. Bordeleau said roughly four-fifths of the passengers on board the Kanata-bound bus have been in touch with police, and he encouraged those who hadn't been in contact with them to reach out. The formal interviews with passengers would take "a couple of weeks," he said.<doc-sep>
Send this page to someone via email Ottawa police have released the names of the three deceased victims in Friday’s bus crash at Westboro bus station. According to police, 56-year-old Bruce Thomlinson, 57-year-old Judy Booth, and 65-year-old Anja Van Beek have been identified as the three passengers who died as a result of the collision. View image in gallery mode Judy Booth (centre) has been revealed as one of the the victims who died in Friday's OC Transpo bus crash in Ottawa. Ottawa Police Service View image in gallery mode Anja Van Beek has been revealed as one of the the victims who died in Friday's OC Transpo bus crash in Ottawa. Ottawa Police Service View image in gallery mode Bruce Thomlinson has been revealed as one of the the victims who died in Friday's OC Transpo bus crash in Ottawa. Ottawa Police Service “The identification of those who died is a difficult and important process and I want to offer the condolences of the Ottawa Police and our entire community,” said Chief Charles Bordeleau in a release. “We have worked to support the families and loved ones of those involved and will continue to be there for them.” Story continues below advertisement All three were public servants. Thomlinson worked for the Canadian Border Services Agency; Van Beek worked for the federal Treasury Board. Other reports say that Booth had retired from the National Capital Commission but still worked there part-time on contract. We are sad to report that one of our own, Anja Van Beek, lost her life in Friday's tragic accident in Ottawa. We send our most sincere condolences to her family and all who were close to her. — TBS Canada (@TBS_Canada) January 14, 2019 It’s with great sadness that we learned the passing of Judy Booth – one of the victims of Friday’s bus accident. She was a dedicated member of the NCC family for many years and known as an ATIP expert. Our hearts and thoughts are with Judy’s husband & their family. — National Capital Commission (@NCC_CCN) January 14, 2019 My sincerest condolences to the friends and families of former public servant Judy Booth, as well as Anja Van Beek and Bruce Thomlinson from @TBS_Canada and @CanBorder. — Michael Wernick (@Clerk_GC) January 14, 2019 At city hall on Monday, Mayor Jim Watson signed the book of condolences that the city set out for residents and expressed his sympathies to the families of the victims during a brief media availability with reporters. WATCH: ‘The whole city is grieving right now’: Watson offers condolences to families of 3 killed in Ottawa bus crash 2:14 ‘The whole city is grieving right now’: Watson offers condolences to families of 3 killed in Ottawa bus crash ‘The whole city is grieving right now’: Watson offers condolences to families of 3 killed in Ottawa bus crash – Jan 14, 2019 “I just want to offer my sincere condolences to the families of the three individuals who were killed on Friday night at the Westboro transit station,” Watson said. “This is a difficult time for obviously the family members, those family members of individuals who are still in hospital and individuals who witnessed the horrific crash on Friday.” Story continues below advertisement “The whole city is grieving right now and this is an opportunity for us to come together and offer some words of comfort to those who have lost loved ones and to pray for those who are still in hospital recovering.” WATCH: TSB shouldn’t be involved in Ottawa bus crash investigation, Watson says 7:22 TSB shouldn’t be involved in Ottawa bus crash investigation, Watson says TSB shouldn’t be involved in Ottawa bus crash investigation, Watson says – Jan 14, 2019 Ottawa police and the regional coroner were responsible for identifying all three of the victims. Police say the names and photos are released with permission from the families. The police investigation is now focusing on speaking with eyewitnesses and combing through the wreckage of the bus looking for clues about what caused the crash. Families of the victims release statements In statements released by the families of the victims on Friday all three say they are devastated by the events and ask for privacy in their time of grief. Story continues below advertisement “We are devastated by the loss of Bruce and our condolences go out to the other families affected by this same tragedy,” said the family of Bruce Tomlinson.