Quebec tractor driver charged after accident kills 3 children, injures 7

A rural Quebec community is in mourning after three young children, aged one, three and five, died on Canada Day when they were ejected from the front loader of a tractor.

Seven other people were injured in the incident which occurred on a country road in the small town of Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge, about 55 kilometres southeast of Montreal.

The 38-year-old man driving the tractor appeared in court Thursday, charged with criminal negligence causing death and injuries.

Provincial police believe alcohol may have been involved.

Police said shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday, a farm tractor was carrying 10 people inside its front loader, along with pieces of wood. Anik Lamirande, a provincial police spokeswoman, said for unknown reasons, all the occupants were suddenly thrown from the loader.

The injured include three children whose lives are not believed to be in danger, and four adults, two of whom are in critical condition. Lamirande could not say if all 10 people were related.

The tractor involved in the incident has since been removed for the investigation. Witnesses say the scene Wednesday night was horrifying.

“All of a sudden police car going by fast, ambulance, then another. I could hear the sirens going down the road from my place. There’s nothing anyone wanted to see. It affects a lot of people. Ambulances had to come back after to get some adults that were probably witnesses to the scene to take them to the hospital for shock,” explained Luc Perreault, Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge resident.

“Usually you hear of a tractor accident it’s usually a small kid who falls off or someone gets tied into the PTO (power take-off stub) but never, never something like this.”

What caused the tractor to suddenly stop is still not yet known.

One resident who says he didn’t know the family says riding in the tractor’s loader is rare in the community.

“It was probably a festive day and they probably said let’s get in the bucket and go slowly down the road. I don’t know what happened. Somebody said they had wood on the tractor in the back. Did it spring or did something break?”

The mayor says the town is working with local health authorities to give psychological counselling for anyone who needs it.

“It’s such a terrible tragedy, we don’t even know how to react,” said Mayor Daniel Tétreault.

Tétreault says he didn’t personally know the family but knew of the driver from the local farm community.

“The driver is a good person and isn’t someone with problems. It’s just an unfortunate accident.”

The Surete du Quebec’s major crimes unit is investigating the circumstances around the accident. One resident says it could have been avoided.

“Every year they send the message for everybody that has a farm, don’t let the children play around tractors. Its really, really dangerous. For that to happen-you can understand yesterday was a festive day, the family was together, lets have a party, lets have a ride on the tractor but that was a bad call,” said Sylvain Mailloux.