Two children killed as car crashes into Australian classroom

SYDNEY: A car crashed into a Sydney school classroom on Tuesday, killing two eight-year-old boys and seriously injuring three children, Australian police said.

Police believe it was an accident, not a deliberate attack.

A sports utility vehicle smashed through the wooden wall of the school in Sydney’s west, where 24 primary-age children were in class with their teacher, police said in a statement.

Three girls, two aged eight and another aged nine, were in a serious or stable condition in hospital. Another 17 children and their teacher were treated for minor injuries.

Police said the driver, a 52-year-old woman who was not hurt, was taken to hospital for blood and urine tests and later charged with two counts of dangerous driving.

TV images showed the car punched through the wall and stop completely inside the classroom, which was adorned with children’s drawings and pictures.

“Obviously it was a scene of carnage,” New South Wales state Ambulance Superintendent Stephanie Radnidge told reporters outside the school.

New South Wales Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said police were “not looking at this as an intentional act, it is a crash investigation”.

The driver was granted bail to appear in court on Nov. 29, according to a police statement.

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