Four teenagers were seriously injured in a car crash near Saint-Alexandre, in the Montérégie region on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).
Three are in critical condition and being treated at the Montreal Children’s Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.
One is in stable condition.
A fifth teenager was also in the car but has been transported to a different hospital.
The SQ said the teens, four of them aged between 16 and 17 years old, were driving on Grande Ligne road when their car skidded off the road, ending in a ditch.
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Firefighters had to use Jaws of Life to extricate them from the car.
The hospital issued a code orange alert, which usually means a major event or emergency, around 3:45 p.m. — it has since been lifted.
“We are supporting these teenagers and their families, and we ask that everyone respect their families’ privacy at this difficult moment,” Dr. Robert Barnes, associate director of professional services at Montreal Children’s Hospital, said during a press conference Wednesday.
“I want to thank all the dedicated professionals for all that they did this afternoon,” he added.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.
— With files from Global News’ Dan Spector and The Canadian Press