Tuesday evening, shortly after 8 p.m., a horrific vehicle accident claimed the lives of at least five individuals.
A Nissan Navara utility vehicle apparently lost control and smashed into a tree on East Parade in Buxton, a town of around 1,000 people located 100 kilometres southwest of Sydney and near Picton.
The 18-year-old male driver of the vehicle has reportedly sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
He was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance personnel before being sent to Liverpool Hospital for further tests.
The police said that three female passengers and two male passengers, all presumed to be the same age, died at the scene.
Multiple individuals were treated by emergency personnel who were sent to the area.
‘Rescue trucks from Picton are assisting numerous (emergency crews) at a serious crash on East Parade involving numerous casualties,’ Fire and Rescue NSW said
‘A medical team that arrived by helicopter is also in attendance.’
A man who lives near to the crash scene said he heard sirens shortly after the incident.
‘We heard the emergency services vehicles responding really quickly and saw the lights flashing, it lit up the whole street,’ Justin Davis told The Daily Telegraph.
He said a helicopter landed in a nearby field.
Mr Davis said the area is usually a very quiet one.
‘Even when kids ride their motorbikes along the streets they do it quietly,’ he said.
As horrified neighbours rushed to see the wreckage, images from the area show a vehicle in shambles in front of residences.
Police are conducting interviews with residents.
The collision, which occurred near Buxton’s town centre, involved no other automobiles.