Two men aged in their forties have died at the scene of a horror five-car crash, which also left more than 20 other people injured, including young children, in the NSW Central Tablelands.
The chaos began after an eastbound Isuzu D-max, towing a motorcycle trailer, collided with a Toyota HiLux heading westbound on the Great Western Hwy about 15km north of Lithgow on Friday, police said.
After the initial impact, the Isuzu entered into a head on collision with a Kia Carnival, which had seven occupants, with a child as young as five on-board.
Police said the Toyota struck a Hyundai Tuscan, following the collision with the Isuzu, sending the vehicle off the road and trapping the occupants inside.
A Nissan Patrol carrying four people and towing a caravan was also heading eastbound, travelling just behind the Isuzu, when it struck the attached motorcycle trailer.
Emergency services rushed to the incident after reports came in at about 12.50pm, but they were unable to revive the driver of the Isuzu, a 42-year-old man, or the Kia, a 49-year-old man, who were trapped in their vehicles and died at the scene.
Six passengers in the Kia, including five children aged between five and 15, and a 41-year-old woman, all suffered varying degrees of injuries.
After being treated by paramedics, they were taken to Westmead and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
One of the children remains in a critical, but stable condition, while the other four are stable and the woman has been released.
A 55-year-old man driving the Hyundai suffered multiple fractures and was promptly flown to John Hunter Hospital.
His two passengers were hospitalised but are now in a stable condition.
Four people in the Toyota and the four people inside the Nissan were assessed by paramedics, with the two drivers, aged 39 and 42, taken to hospital for mandatory testing.
Specialist police from the Crash Investigation Unit are examining the scene and are continuing to investigate the circumstances that led up to the crash.
A report is being prepared for the coroner.
Police were able to confirm the events on Saturday after NSW Police Detective Superintendent Paul Glinn indicated one of the vehicles may have veered into oncoming traffic.
“It would appear that a vehicle has crossed to the incorrect side of the road, but as to the actual circumstances, as to what led up to that event and the collision that occurred and what flowed thereafter, [that] will be determined in coming days,” Detective Superintendent Glinn told media on Friday.
Messaging following the incident is urging drivers to slow down with so many people out on holiday and travelling on roads across the state.
This year, 349 people have lost their lives on NSW roads, which is 70 more than last year.