Five people have been killed in head-on collision in Chapais, Que.

An ambulance in Quebec. FILE (Daniel J. Rowe/CTV News)

A head-on collision killed five people on Thursday in Chapais, in northern Quebec.

Four men and a woman lost their lives after a collision occurred at around 1:15 p.m. at the Chapais exit on Route 113, said the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).

The circumstances are "still unclear," said SQ spokesperson Sergeant Hugues Beaulieu, information officer for the SQ. According to initial information, a truck swerved out of its lane and collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle carrying four people.

As a result of the impact, the vehicle burst into flames.

The driver and the four people in the vehicle were taken to the Chibougamau hospital.

All suffered very serious injuries.

The deaths of three people were confirmed late on Thursday afternoon. The SQ confirmed that the other two died later in the evening.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 21, 2024.