Buxton: Five teenagers dead after car smashes into tree southwest of Sydney

A Nissan Navara has been torn to shreds after ploughing into trees at Buxton. An 18-year-old sustained non life-threatening injuries, but five passengers - some as young as 14 or 15 - have been killed.

Five young people are dead and another has been taken to hospital after a horror single-vehicle car crash southwest of Sydney, in an incident described by police as one of the worst they've seen in decades.

The Nissan Navara lost control and ploughed into a tree on East Pde at Buxton – a small town near Picton – just after 8pm on Tuesday.

Five teenagers - three girls and two boys - died in the incident.

An 18-year-old man, who was behind the wheel of the Nissan at the time, survived and suffered non life-threatening injuries.

He was placed under arrest to be conveyed to Liverpool Hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing. Charges have not been laid.

Video footage showed paramedics wheeling him into the hospital on a stretcher. He has his eyes open and was staring into the space above him.

Earlier it was believed all people in the car were adults, however police have now confirmed some passengers were as young as "14 or 15".

Five adults have been killed in a horror smash at Buxton. Picture: TNV

The driver of the Nissan is taken into Liverpool Hospital. Picture: TNV

Camden police superintendent Paul Fuller said the crash was one of the worst he’d seen in his 38 years of policing.

He said the victims were “local kids”, all of whom attended Picton High School and revealed the youngest was aged just 14 or 15.

“We’ve located three teenage girls and two teenage boys [deceased in the vehicle], they’re all local kids, they all go to the local high school,” he said.

“So it’s a horrific accident scene and a tragedy of this magnitude is going to have ripple effects … for their families, friends and through the local community.

“I’ve been in the police for 38 years and it’s one of the worst accident scenes I’ve ever come across.”

Supt Fuller said he had spoken to the principal of Picton High and counselling would be provided for students tomorrow.

Emergency service crews will also be provided with counselling, he said, adding that some of those who were first on the scene would likely know the victims.

“It’s a horrific scene and unfortunately some of the first responders would know these kids, from our rural fire service our ambulance and our police,” he said.

Supt Fuller said he was unable to comment on whether police believed speed was a factor in the crash.

Dramatic video footage taken at the scene showed the Nissan torn to pieces amid multiple trees and close to the front fences of nearby homes.

Two men who grew emotional were seen hugging each other next to police tape. One firefighter described the scene as “absolute chaos”.

East Pde resident Justin Davis told The Daily Telegraph he heard sirens shortly after the crash.

“We heard the emergency services vehicles responding really quickly and saw the lights flashing, it lit up the whole street,” he said.

Two men embrace at the crash site. Picture: TNV

The vehicle became wedged between two trees. Picture: TNV

“Then a helicopter landed in a nearby paddock.”

Mr Davis said the area was normally very quiet.

“Even when kids ride their motorbikes along the streets they do it quietly,” he said.

Shocked residents dressed in pyjamas were seen being interviewed by police at the front of their blocks.

Vision from the scene shows the vehicle was torn to shreds after colliding with the tree. Picture: TNV

Dozens of police, ambulance and fire and rescue personnel are in attendance on scene. Picture: TNV

A man and a woman dressed in casual clothes were also seen gathering around an ambulance.

Paramedics had been called and rushed to the scene where they had treated multiple patients.

Fire and Rescue NSW said on social media a helicopter had also been called in.

“Rescue trucks from Picton are assisting numerous (emergency crews) at a serious crash on East Pde involving numerous casualties. A medical team that arrived by helicopter is also in attendance,” the agency wrote.

Authorities said no other vehicles were involved in the crash.

Buxton, which is about 100km southwest of Sydney, is a town of about 1000 residents.

The car crashed next to the town’s main drag and near its centre.