4 teenagers, 1 man dead after multi-vehicle crash near London, police say
Victims were returning to a Walkerton school after a sporting event, school board says
Four teenagers and a man are dead after a multi-vehicle crash on Friday near London, Ontario Provincial Police said.
Emergency crews responded around 4:30 p.m. to the crash northeast of London at Thorndale and Cobble Hills roads, Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said Saturday.
He says an SUV collided with a transport truck, which then collided with a second SUV.
All five victims were in the first SUV, he said.
Two 17-year-old girls and a 16-year-old girl died at the scene, Sanchuk said. A 16-year-old girl and 33-year-old man were taken to hospital where they were later pronounced dead.
The truck driver and the two people in the second SUV sustained minor injuries, he said.
"We're not going to be releasing any further information, just to give that opportunity to the grieving and devastated families to just do that: grieve," Sanchuk said.
Victims returning from sports event: school board
Bluewater District School Board said in a statement Saturday the four teenagers were students at Walkerton District Community School, and the 33-year-old was a staff member. They had been returning to the school, located just over 100 kilometres north of the crash, following a sporting event near London.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families directly impacted, as they deal with unimaginable grief and sadness through this sudden and heartbreaking loss," the statement said, adding no further details would be released to respect the privacy of the victims' grieving families.
The school board is offering mental health supports to students and staff at the school in the weeks ahead.
Police are asking any witnesses in the area at the time of the crash to check their dashcam footage. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers.
In a X post Saturday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was "devastated" about the crash.
"My thoughts are with the families and loved ones grieving this terrible loss," the post read.
With files from Andre La Rosa-Rodriguez, Rochelle Raveendran and Ethan Lang