Five kids die after car crashes into tree, NY cops say. Boy in hatchback escapes fire

Five children ranging from 8 to 17 years old were killed in a “very tragic” fiery car accident on a New York highway, police said.

The Nissan Rogue they were riding in veered off the Hutchinson River Parkway in Scarsdale, slammed into a tree and burst into flames around midnight on March 19, according to a news release from the Westchester County Police Department.

A 9-year-old boy who had been riding in the hatchback escaped and was the sole survivor of the crash, police said. He was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

The five who died — four boys and a girl — were family members, according to ABC7.

Police said they are all from Connecticut.

A 16-year-old boy was believed to be driving at the time of the accident.

He did not have a license or permit at the time, according to CBS New York.

The incident remains under investigation, police said.

“We as parents lost 5 of our children in a very tragic accident and need help deeply with giving them a great home going service,” a GoFundMe page created to raise money for funeral expenses states.

The accident is “an absolutely heartbreaking tragedy,” Connecticut State Representative Mary Welander wrote on Facebook, adding that the family lived in Derby, about 75 miles northeast of New York City.

“I will be working with the mayor and school district to do whatever we can to support the family,” Welander said.

Scarsdale is about 25 miles northeast of New York City.

This story was originally published March 20, 2023 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Five kids die after car crashes into tree, NY cops say. Boy in hatchback escapes fire."