Five children from one family were killed in a serious crash in the rural area of the province of Ontario, Canada. According to the Ontario Provincial Police, the incident occurred on Friday evening at around 7:30 p.m. local time at an intersection in the municipality of Mapleton (Mapleton Township), located northwest of the city of Kitchener.
Four girls and one boy, ages 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12, died. The family is from the nearby town of Elmira. The collision involved two vehicles - a passenger van and an SUV. A total of 10 people were traveling in the family van. In addition to the five children who died, the two parents, the grandmother, and a 15-month-old baby (the sixth child in the family), as well as another adult, were inside.
The baby and four adults were hospitalized with serious injuries. The mother is in a critical condition in a Hamilton hospital, while the father is in a stable condition in a Listowel hospital.
The driver of the SUV was traveling alone. He was also hospitalized with serious injuries, including broken legs.
Witnesses to the incident and first responders provided immediate first aid at the scene. Due to the severity of the situation, at least three of the injured were rushed to regional trauma centers by medical helicopters.
An investigation by the police's specialized road accident team is underway to determine the exact causes of the collision at the intersection. Local authorities and Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed their condolences for the "unimaginable loss" that has shaken the entire community.