5 People Dead, Including 3 Children, in Multi-Vehicle Highway Crash

At least five people, including 3 children, have died in a car crash in Denver, Colorado.

The crash occurred on Highway 83 near South Russellville Road, south of Franktown, on Monday, Nov. 24, the Frankton Fire Rescue (FFR) said in a post on X.

“Franktown has two complex motor vehicle crashes. Please avoid the area of Hwy 83 near South Russelville and Highway 83 near Highway 86,” the FFR said. “Highway lanes are closed in these areas and will be for an extended amount of time.”

The collision happened at around 4:39 p.m. local time. The driver of a black Toyota hatchback “lost control” of the car and crashed into two other vehicles, a tan Ford sedan and a black Ford pickup, CBS News and ABC News reported, citing the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), who responded to the scene.

“The Toyota was traveling southbound on Highway 83 when the driver lost control and went off the right shoulder. The Toyota returned to the roadway and rolled onto the northbound lane, ejecting the driver,” the CSP said. “The Ford sedan was traveling northbound when the Toyota hit it head-on.”

The Toyota then “kept traveling southbound in the northbound lanes and struck a Ford pickup,” causing minor damage to the vehicle, the CSP added.

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One man and five children were travelling in the Ford sedan. The man who was driving the vehicle and three of the children died at the scene, the CSP confirmed to ABC News.

Two other juveniles were airlifted to a local hospital. The driver of the Ford pickup was uninjured in the incident, according to the outlet.

The identities of the victims have not been released at this time. The Douglas County coroner will conduct a report on the victims, officials told ABC News.

The CSP is investigating the incident. They wrote on X on Monday that Highway 83 was “closed both directions due to a crash” as they advised drivers to “use an alternate route.”

PEOPLE has reached out to the CSP for comment.