Four high school-aged students and a staff member were killed in a car crash while returning home from a sports event, an Ontario school board said Saturday, calling it a devastating loss for the community.
The Bluewater District School Board released a statement saying all four girls and the staff member who died were from a K-12 school in Walkerton, Ont.
"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 board's statement reads.
Police say the victims of the Friday afternoon crash are four teenage girls, ages 16 and 17, and a 33-year-old man who were all travelling in the same SUV.
Ontario Provincial Police say the SUV collided with a transport truck and then crashed into a second SUV at an intersection outside London, Ont.
Four people died at the scene of the crash and a 16-year-old girl who had to be airlifted to hospital later died too.
Premier Doug Ford said he was "devastated to hear of last night’s tragic accident" in a message posted to social media.
"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.
Police say the driver and passenger of the second SUV and the driver of the transport truck had minor injuries.
The school board said the fatal crash was a "devastating loss" for the Walkerton District Community School and the local community, located about 150 kilometres northwest of Toronto.
It said mental health staff and a tragedy response team would be supporting the school's staff and students through a "very painful time" in the days and weeks ahead.
"At this incredibly difficult time, we are supporting and respecting the privacy of the grieving families. We are unable to provide further details on the incident or identities of the individuals involved," the statement reads.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2025.
Jordan Omstead, The Canadian Press
