Four killed in crash northeast of London, fifth person clings to life: OPP
Four people in an SUV died when the vehicle collided with a transport truck and a second SUV at a rural intersection northeast of London
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Four people in an SUV died when the vehicle collided with a transport truck and a second SUV at a rural intersection northeast of London on Friday afternoon, an OPP officer says.
A fifth person in the SUV suffered serious, life-threatening injuries and was flown by air ambulance to hospital, Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said in a video from the scene posted on X.
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“I just want to take this opportunity to extend my deepest and sincerest condolences to everyone who has been affected by this tragedy tonight,” Sanchuk said, and then paused for a moment. “To the Good Samaritans who stopped to provide assistance, thank you. To everyone who came to this crash tonight, thank you. To family members and friends, you have our deepest and sincerest condolences and you are in our thoughts.”
Details about the ages and genders of the five people in the SUV were not released.
The driver and passenger in the second SUV and the driver of the transport truck suffered minor injuries, Sanchuk said.
The vehicles collided in the intersection of Thorndale and Cobble Hills roads in Thames Centre at about 4:30 p.m., Sanchuk said. The intersection is controlled by stop signs on Cobble Hills Road.
Thorndale and Cobble Hills roads intersect east of Cobble Hill in Middlesex County, which is just past Thorndale on London’s northeastern outskirts.
A photograph taken by a witness at the scene obtained by The Free Press showed several ambulances, fire trucks and police vehicles parked on the road with several first responders near a vehicle in a field.
“(It’s) one of those things that you just hope you never see,” Sanchuk said in an interview with The Free Press. “As a police officer, but as a father and as a community resident as well, it’s never easy going to fatal motor vehicle collisions, because now we have the notification process and knocking on those families’ doors. Letting them know that their loved ones are not coming home.
“What usually happens is when we take this uniform off when we go home we’re parents, we’re relatives, and we’re family, we’re friends, but we’re very professional and make sure that we do the right things for the right reasons and do a great job for our community,” Sanchuk said.
Asked about the collision, the Thames Centre fire department – with a station located not far from the area – declined comment and directed questions to the OPP.
Thorndale and Cobble Hills roads will remain closed for several hours while the investigation continues, Sanchuk said. Investigators are asking drivers in the area at the time of the crash to check their dash camera footage to see if they captured the crash or the vehicles involved. Anyone with information is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
– With file by Derek Ruttan of The London Free Press
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