Un traffic accident involving a group of children on bicycles and a vehicle which “hit” them at an intersection left at least six injured, including three seriously, in La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime), announced the prefecture and firefighters .
Among these twelve children from a municipal leisure center, one was very seriously injured and airlifted to the Poitiers University Hospital (Vienna), and two others are in “absolute emergency”, declared Emmanuel Cayron, secretary general of the prefecture of Charente-Maritime.
The other three injured are in “relative emergency”, he added.
The events occurred on Wednesday morning around 10:00 a.m. near the city center of La Rochelle, while the children were going to an orienteering race in a public park.
“A group of cyclists were hit by a vehicle,” the firefighters wrote in a press release, reporting a “serious accident” with three people seriously injured.
Some 32 firefighters were involved, as well as seven ambulances and various intervention vehicles.
“A judicial investigation has been opened. She will have to take stock of the circumstances of the accident,” said Emmanuel Cayron, referring to a “small car involved”.
The children were accompanied by two activity leaders and “were used to traveling by bike. They do it regularly,” said La Rochelle town hall.
