MELBOURNE, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Three people have died and one other has been hospitalized with critical injuries following a collision between multiple vehicles northwest of Melbourne on Sunday night.
Police said that two vehicles were traveling on a highway near the small town of Ledcourt, 230 km northwest of Melbourne, when they collided around 6:45 p.m. on Sunday.
Detective Acting Sergeant Leigh Miller from the Major Collision Investigation Unit told reporters at the scene that a car had collided with a truck before crossing onto the wrong side of the road and colliding with an oncoming car.
Two people in the second car, who have not been formally identified, died at the scene.
Police said that there were four occupants in the car that crossed onto the wrong side of the road, including a 14-year-old girl who was taken to hospital in a critical condition and later died.
An 11-year-old girl was also taken to hospital in a critical condition, while the 17-year-old learner driver sustained minor injuries. A 43-year-old woman was not injured.
The truck driver was not injured and stopped at the scene.
"At this stage we don't know why the collision has occurred, but what we will be investigating is whether fatigue or distraction, whether speed is involved," Miller said.
Police asked anyone who witnessed the collision to contact investigators. ■