3 pedestrians, driver killed in fiery Hamilton crash

Hamilton police say three pedestrians and the driver of a stolen Toyota Prius are dead after the vehicle that was speeding down Main Street East early Saturday morning crashed and burst into flames.

Investigators said the male driver of the vehicle was travelling at a "high rate of speed" and headed toward King Street East around 2 a.m. when he lost control, mounted the curb and hit a concrete hydro pole.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger called it a "senseless and tragic loss of life."

"We pray for the loved ones who are getting horrific news today," he wrote on Twitter.

Emergency crews, including paramedics and firefighters responded.

Police said four people have died of their injuries.

Three of those were pedestrians and the fourth was the driver of the car, who was still inside when it caught fire, said Const. Indy Bharaj.

"The debris field was extensive," he said, adding wreckage from the crash was spread over 70 metres.

The service said it won't be releasing the names of the people who were killed as they're still working to notify next of kin.

Bharaj declined to say if they were connected in any way, noting police are still working to positively identify all of the victims.

A post mortem has been scheduled for Monday, he said.

Police said impairment has not been ruled out.

The vehicle was stolen a short time before the crash, according to Bharaj.

"There was no pursuit from police that caused this collision to occur," he said. "These fatalities mark the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh traffic fatalities in 2022."

Police are asking anyone with surveillance or dashcam footage showing the crash to contact the collision reconstruction unit or CrimeStoppers.