The Canadian Press
Published Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 6:41AM EDT
BROADVIEW, Sask. -- A horrific collision between a Canadian Pacific train and a camper van has left three children and an 18-year-old woman dead and two others injured.
RCMP Cpl. Rob King said the collision took place Thursday evening about 7 p.m. at an uncontrolled crossing near Broadview, Sask.
The children were two seven-year-olds, a boy and a girl, and an 11-year-old girl.
The van was being driven by a 15-year-old boy. He sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital in Regina by air ambulance.
King said it is legal in Saskatchewan for a 15-year-old to drive a vehicle if they have a learner's permit and an adult in the vehicle with them.
A 42-year-old woman who was a passenger in the van was taken to the local hospital in Broadview. King said he didn't know the extent of her injuries.
All those involved appear to be related but were not necessarily siblings -- King said they may have been cousins, but that hadn't been sorted out yet.
He said names were not immediately being released.
"One of the mothers of one of the kids is somewhere in Alberta, so she might not know," he said.
Canadian Pacific spokesman Kevin Hrysak said it was a westbound freight train, adding the collision took place at a crossing with no guard rails, lights or bells.
He said it didn't appear that any crew members were physically hurt but "obviously this is extremely hard on them as well."
"The main thing for us at the moment is our heartfelt sympathies go out to the family of the victims involved in this fatal accident," Hrysak said.
"We definitely don't like to see this happen, that's for sure."
King noted the train didn't derail and said traffic on the rail line would likely be able to resume by morning.
"There's not going to be any wreckage left at the scene. We're going to have the scene cleaned up tonight."
An RCMP traffic analyst was been called in to assist along with Canadian Pacific police and the provincial coroner's officer.
