Five young children lost their lives when their family van collided with an SUV in a tragic accident in a rural area north of Kitchener Friday night.
According to the Ontario Provincial Police, officers, local firefighters, and paramedics responded to the two-vehicle crash at the intersection of 4th Line and Wellington Rd. 12 in Mapleton Township – close to Conestogo Lake – around 7:30 p. m.
“During the course of the investigation, it was determined that a van and an SUV collided at the intersection resulting in multiple occupants from both motor vehicles sustaining serious, life-threatening injuries alongside several fatalities,” Wellington County OPP Const. Matt Burton said in a video posted early Saturday on X.
“Several individuals were transported to various local hospitals with serious injuries alongside three patients being transported via air ambulance to various trauma centres,” he said. “The OPP Traffic Incident Management Enforcement Team is on scene and is assisting Wellington County OPP with this investigation.”
News footage from the crash site showed both vehicles ended up off the road and resting in fields – the van was severely damaged while the SUV was overturned.
The intersection remained closed throughout the night as police investigated.
While few details were available at first, OPP provided an update to media on Saturday afternoon.
Family of nine in van
OPP clarified that there were nine people – all family members – inside the van and one person was driving the SUV when this tragic incident happened.
Five children – aged 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 – have been confirmed dead by police.
The children’s parents, grandmother, and a 15-month-old sibling were also in the van.
OPP reported that the mother was critically injured and remained hospitalized in Hamilton while the father was stable at a Listowel hospital.
The driver of the SUV suffered broken legs and is receiving treatment at a Hamilton hospital.
Anyone who might have witnessed this collision or has information that could assist with this ongoing investigation is asked to contact Wellington County OPP at 1-888-310-1122.<0
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