Five children have been injured, including one who is fighting for life, after a P-plater drove through the fence of a primary school in Hawthorn East, Melbourne.
It’s understood the driver suffered a medical episode before ploughing through the fence of the Auburn South Primary School on Tooronga Road, in the city’s inner east, at about 2.30pm on Tuesday.
The children had been sitting on a bench in the playground during afternoon tea when they are believed to have been struck.
One child has been rushed to hospital with critical injuries, while four others suffered non life-threatening injuries.
The female driver of the car, who is on her green P-plates, has been arrested but is yet to be interviewed, Victoria Police said.
Ambulance Victoria said emergency services are at the scene but no further information is available.
‘Our priority right now is our patients and we do not have confirmed information from the scene at this early stage,’ a spokesperson said.
‘We will provide information when it becomes available.’
It’s understood the driver suffered a medical episode before ploughing through the fence of the Auburn South Primary School on Tooronga Road, on Tuesday afternoon
Emergency services remain at the scene
A mother of one boy at the school said the children were playing outside during a recess break when the car careened through the fence.
‘They were all out there and witnessed it happen,’ Lucy told 3AW Drive in between tears.
‘(My son) witnessed it and now he doesn’t want to go to school.
‘He is trying to look at the news and uncover what’s happened to his friends.’
Lucy said she received a text from the school telling parents Burgess Street was closed before hearing sirens and seeing multiple police cars.
‘So I just raced down there and you could see all the parents racing down there to make sure their kids are OK,’ she said.
‘Everyone was just hugging each other and supporting each other.’
Emergency services were called to the scene just after 2.30pm on Tuesday
A white car was seen in the school playground, with its front bumper clearly damaged as police cordoned off the area.
Burgess Street in between Tooronga and Auburn roads is blocked off.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said the cause of the crash is being investigated, with Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives at the scene.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
More to come
