Teenage Twin Boys Killed, Six More Injured in Canadian Sledding Accident: Police

A Canadian family is in mourning after their twin teenage sons were killed early Saturday in what authorities described as a sledding accident involving eight people, Calgary police said in a statement.

The boys were pronounced dead on the scene, at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, while six other teenage boys were taken to area hospitals for treatment, authorities said, according to Global News.

The deceased were identified by police as Evan and Jordan Caldwell, 17, according to NBC News.

Authorities responded to the scene about 1:30 a.m. local time, police said in a statement Saturday.



Police said in the Saturday statement that identification of the six surviving boys was complicated by their injuries.

Three of the boys had serious but non-life threatening injuries, while three had minor injuries, authorities said in the Global News video. One of the six boys was later described by police as in critical condition Saturday afternoon, while the other five were stable, with non-life-threatening injuries according to the Global News.

“It’s believed at least eight teenagers, all males, entered the property after hours and used a personal sled/toboggan in an attempt to go down the bobsled track,” police said in the Saturday statement.

“Part way down, the group hit a large gate used to separate the bobsled and luge tracks,” police said in the statement.

The Caldwell family, in a statement released Saturday by police, noted the “huge void” their sons’ deaths create.

“We were reminded today that life is but a vapor. Life is precious, life is fragile, and we must redeem the time we’re given,” read the family’s statement, signed by Jason, Shauna and Katie Caldwell.

“Our boys Jordan & Evan were bright lights to all who knew them,” the statement continued. “We are grieving their loss but confident in their new home of heaven. Our brief 17 years with them were a gift: filled with much love, laughter, and fond memories.

"They leave a huge void and will be sorely missed.”

CCTV footage is being reviewed to determine how and why the group entered the facility, police said in the statement.

It was not clear if any in the group were or had been employees at the park, if the surviving boys were still unidentified or if any of them could face charges in connection with the incident.

(PEOPLE was not immediately able to reach Calgary police for comment.)

“Today is the most tragic day in [park operator] WinSport’s history,” president and CEO Barry Heck said at a press conference, according to the Global News. “As a father, first and foremost, my heart goes out to the families.”

“We have robust security measures throughout the park and again safety is extremely important,” Heck said, according to The Globe and Mail. “We have a full-time security staff that we employ and when the investigation is concluded we will better understand what happened.”