Four college students killed in Kildare road collision
Four young women have been killed in a road accident in County Kildare.
Three other people were seriously injured in the crash which happened near Athy shortly before 10pm last night.
Gardaí said the four dead were passengers in the car, three of whom were aged 19, and one of whom was 20.
It is understood the women who died were college friends on their way back to university after the Christmas holidays, when their car collided with a van at Burtown, around three miles from Junction three on the M9.
The female driver of the car, aged 20, and two men travelling in the van were seriously hurt in the crash. They were treated at the scene before being rushed to Naas General Hospital.
Efforts were being made late last night to contact the families of those who had lost their lives in the incident.
Forensic investigators are now looking through debris trying to determine whether a mechanical or tyre fault could have led to the crash, but say it will be quite some time before any definitive cause can be proven.
The car appears to have collided into the side of the van before struck the grass verge. The Volkswagen van later caught fire.
Diversions are place and gardaí are appealing for anyone who witnessed the accident to contact them at Athy.
Father Frank McEvoy is the Parish Priest for the area where the crash happened last night.
"To see four young bodies on the side of the road is very sad, and very sobering, I must say," he said.
"It brings it home to us the need to be so careful on the roads."
The road is expected to remain closed for much of the day.
