‘Didn’t stand a chance’: Horror crash scene

WARNING: Graphic content

Witnesses have described a “large fireball” when they arrived on the scene of a horror crash that killed a family of six, including four children, in the Northern Territory.

Police are still working to identify the family who died in a fiery crash on the Stuart Highway near Pine Creek, 225km south of Darwin, on Friday afternoon.

Four children and two adults were believed to be inside.

NT Police Detective Senior Sergeant Brendan Lindner said a “large fireball” erupted after the Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD collided with a three-trailer truck.

The road train had recently refuelled in Darwin and was filled with about 10,000 litres of fuel.

Territory Expeditions tour driver Daniel Hall rushed to the crash site after seeing black smoke billowing into the sky from a few kilometres away.

Mr Hall told the NT News there was nothing anyone could do for the people in the Mitsubishi.

“Whoever was in that car did not stand a chance at survival or being rescued in any way shape or form,” Mr Hall said.

“The entire car was one big ball of fire.

“Those people, they didn’t stand a chance.”

Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said the scene was “very distressing”.

“It looks like we’ve got four children involved in that vehicle that have sadly passed away,” he said.

“It’s very upsetting, it’s very distressing.

“We assume they’re from the Big Rivers region of the Northern Territory – that’s yet to be confirmed.”

Sergeant Lindner said investigators were looking for anyone who might have dashcam footage from the area between 2.30pm and 4.45pm on Friday to contact police.

“This was a confronting crash that has resulted in significant loss of life,” he said.

“This incident has and will impact a large number in the community and all efforts are under way to identify and recover the deceased and to notify their next of kin.”