MELBOURNE, Australia — A devastating incident at Auburn South Primary School in Melbourne left one child dead and four others seriously injured when a car crashed through a school fence on Tuesday afternoon, police said.
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The accident occurred as a 40-year-old mother, who had just picked up a child from the school, attempted a U-turn on the road outside the school grounds. The car then plowed through the fence and struck an outdoor table where five children were seated shortly after 2:30 p.m. local time, according to Police Inspector Craig McEvoy.
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“It appears it is a tragic accident,” McEvoy told reporters.
An 11-year-old boy sustained critical injuries and was rushed to the hospital, where he later died, police reported. Two 11-year-old girls, a 10-year-old girl, and a 10-year-old boy were also transported to the hospital with serious injuries.
The driver was arrested at the scene and remains in police custody. Neither the mother nor the child she had collected from school was injured in the incident. Police are currently questioning the driver, though no further updates have been provided.
Specialist accident investigation detectives are examining the site to gather evidence. Video footage from the scene shows a station wagon with significant damage to its front-left fender, having come to a stop within a recreation area shaded by cloth.
