Four people were taken to hospital with serious injuries Friday night after a van drove through a transit bay and slammed into a concrete planter in Kitchener.
Two Kitchener women, a 75 year old and a 73 year old, died as a result of their injuries.
The driver, a 68-year-old man, and an 81-year old woman were transported to Hamilton hospital.
READ MORE: Serious injuries after a collision in downtown Kitchener
The crash happened around 8 p.m. at Charles Street and Gaukel Street in Kitchener.
Police say a silver Mazda drove through the transit bay and struck a concrete planter and a light pole in front of 44 Gaukel St.
The car caught on fire. Police say nearby witnesses and security staff of the transit terminal rushed to help. They managed to pull all four occupants from the burning van.
“I have to save this guy. He’s going to pass away if I don’t do anything,” said Tristan Smith, who witnessed the incident and rushed to the vehicle. “All I could think was going home and wanting to see my Dad and finding out he died in a crash.”
Smith says the images of that evening are still running through his head.
“It’s traumatizing…it’s hard to get through,” he said. “I do feel guilty. Knowing that I could have sat there and pried open the door, put my feet up and tried to put all my weight into it.”
Police have not said what caused the crash, but they say charges are pending. The identities of the deceased have not yet been released.
The investigation is ongoing and they are asking for anyone with information regarding the incident to call them at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
