‘Heartbreaking loss:’ 4 teens among 5 dead after multi-vehicle crash near London, Ont.

Four teens are among five people killed in a multi-vehicle crash near London, Ont., on Friday night.

Provincial police say around 4:30 p.m., an SUV collided with a transport truck, which then struck a second SUV at the intersection of Thorndale Road and Cobble Hills Road near Thorndale, 22 km outside of London.

Two 17-year-old girls and a 16-year-old girl were pronounced dead at the scene, while a 33-year-old man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he was later pronounced dead. A 16-year-old girl was airlifted by Ornge ambulance to a trauma centre where she was later pronounced dead. All five were in the first SUV that was struck.

The driver and passenger of the second SUV and the driver of the transport truck suffered minor injuries.

The Bluewater District School Board released a statement saying all four girls and the staff member who died were staff and students at Walkerton District Community School, located about 150 kilometres northwest of Toronto, and were coming home from an out-of-town sports event at the time of the crash.  

The board called the loss “devastating” for the school and community while extending its condolences to the impacted families as they deal with “unimaginable grief and sadness through this sudden and heartbreaking loss.”

“As a father, I can’t even imagine what these families are going through, and I just wanted to extend our deepest and sincerest condolences on behalf of the Ontario Provincial Police. You are in our thoughts,” said Sgt. Ed Sanchuk with West Region OPP.

Premier Doug Ford echoed those comments in an online post.

“I’m devastated to hear of last night’s tragic accident in Middlesex County, which has now claimed the lives of five people. My thoughts are with the families and loved ones grieving this terrible loss,” he wrote.

Ontario’s education minister said he was “deeply saddened to hear about the tragic loss of four students and a teacher in the crash.” 

“We are all mourning this terrible loss,” Paul Calandra said in a statement posted to social media. 

Investigators are asking anyone who may have been in the area at the time of the crash and has dash camera footage or information to contact them.