Police investigate the aftermath of a fatal car crash at the intersection of 176th Street and 32nd Avenue in Surrey, B.C. on Sunday, April 28, 2013. RCMP in British Columbia say five people are dead after a serious crash near the U.S border.ERIC DREGER
A Surrey family is dealing with "inconceivable grief" after three generations were killed when their car was T-boned by a minivan running a red light.
A mother, 31, her three-year-old daughter, five-year-old son, their aunt, 47, and grandmother, 68, all died at the scene Sunday morning when a 2012 Dodge Caravan smashed into their 1994 Toyota Corolla, Surrey RCMP Inspector Lee Chanin said Monday.
The minivan's driver and sole occupant, a 46-year-old Langley man, was the only survivor in one of the most horrific crashes Surrey police have ever seen. He remains in hospital in serious but stable condition.
There's a "strong likelihood" charges will be laid against the man based on investigators' preliminary understanding that his van didn't stop at the light, Insp. Chanin said.
It's too early to say how fast the vehicles were travelling, but metal debris scattered more than 100 metres from the intersection suggest excessive speed was likely a factor, he said.
Though there was a camera at the intersection, it did not capture the accident.
It's not yet known whether alcohol, drugs or a medical condition were involved. The investigation will likely take months.
Police did not release names, but friends identified the victims as members of the Sachdeva family, who operate a Surrey sweet shop.
A bouquet of flowers was fixed to the storefront Monday afternoon, along with a sign stating the shop would be closed for a few days for a family emergency.
Neighbouring business owners expressed disbelief at the tragedy.
Four fatal car accidents have killed eight people in Surrey this year, according to police.