Driver arrested following deaths of five Sydney teenagers in 'deeply distressing' car crash

Mayor Matt Gould said the close-knit community was in shock and in mourning after the deaths of five Picton High School students in a car crash.

Friends of those involved in a fatal car accident in Buxton, NSW are devastated at the tragedy. Source: AAP / Jane Dempster

Key Points

• Five teenagers have been killed in a horror road road smash in Buxton, southwest of Sydney.
• An 18-year-old man has been taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

An 18-year-old man has been arrested after five teenagers died in car crash in Sydney's southwest on Tuesday night, NSW Police has confirmed.

Two girls aged 14 and 15, and two boys aged 15 and 16, were killed in the single-vehicle accident.

Police said the P-plate driver of the Nissan ute lost control and struck a tree at the intersection of Orange Road and East Parade in Buxton at 8pm on Tuesday.

The driver passed his breathalyser test after being taken to Liverpool hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

He was arrested in Bargo on Wednesday afternoon after being discharged from hospital, and has been taken to Narellan police station for questioning.

Students from Picton High School leave flowers at the crash site at Buxton in southwest Sydney where five teenagers were killed in a car accident. Source: AAP / Jane Dempster

The police's preliminary investigations believe "speed was a possible factor" in the cause of the crash.

"Obviously, having six people in a four-seater vehicle is inherently dangerous and it should not be done," Acting Inspector Jason Hogan of the NSW Police Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit said.

"The drivers are the drivers. The drivers need to take responsibility in all circumstances for their manner of driving to keep themselves, their passengers, and other road users in NSW safe," he said.

"I would appeal to all drivers to just take that second thought about what their actions could ultimately lead up to."

All five teenagers who died were students at Picton High School, and their deaths have been described as "deeply distressing" for the entire local community.

Friends of those involved in a fatal car accident embrace as the community is left reeling from the tragedy. Source: AAP / Jane Dempster

"The playground, recess, lunch, siblings, peers, interactions outside of school impact on all of our students. It's deeply distressing news," the NSW Department of Education's deputy secretary Murat Dizdar told reporters on Wednesday.

"I can't imagine what those five families are going through today but I know as a school community ... the entire school community is feeling it."

Witness Mary Pace said the car was "completely mangled", adding: "At first, we didn’t realise there was another person in the car until he started yelling out ‘help help’.

"We tried to contain him in the car because we didn't know if he had any injuries, but he ended up getting himself out."

Tributes to the five victims of a car accident are laid at the crash site where they died. Source: AAP / Jane Dempster

Mr Dizdar said a special counselling team will be provided to teachers who have treated the students like their own children since they started attending the school in Year 7.

"They become like their own children inside the school gates. They take deep care and attention of those young learners. That's why we realise as a department the enormity of impact they will be experiencing."

The entire shire is in mourning today. It's heartbreaking, it's devastating.

Matt Gould, Wollondilly Shire mayor

Camden police superintendent Paul Fuller said it was the worst crash scene he has seen in the 38 years of his career.

"It’s a horrific accident scene and a traumatic event like this will have a devastating impact on the families, friends and the local community," he told reporters.

"They're all local kids, they all go to the local high school," he told reporters.

The Picton local community mourns together as they learn of the news of the tragedy overnight. Source: AAP / Jane Dempster

"Unfortunately some of the first responders would know these kids."

Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry described the scene as absolutely chaotic and devastating.

"All of the emergency services, police, ambulance, [were] confronted with a significant, critical, traumatic scene," he said.

Wollondilly Shire Mayor Matt Gould said the close-knit community was waking up in shock, and in mourning.

"The entire shire is in mourning today. It's heartbreaking, it's devastating. Words can't express how much so much of our community is hurting today," he said.

In a small community like this, the likelihood is that some of our emergency responders knew some of the kids. I don't know how you could put it into words.

"I'd really just encourage the community to reach out, check on mates, check on family and make sure they're okay."

Police said the driver had been taken to Sydney's Liverpool Hospital where he had undergone mandatory blood and urine tests. He had not been placed under arrest.

Investigators are appealing for anyone with dashcam footage or information about the incident to contact them.

With AAP.