A three-year-old girl died and a five-year-old boy was seriously injured after being hit by a garbage truck on Friday in Sainte-Catherine (Pas-de-Calais), near Arras, firefighters announced.
Leaving an establishment, "the heavyweight hit the two children", reported the departmental fire and rescue service of Pas-de-Calais.
The incident would have occurred around 11:40 a.m. according to La Voix du Nord, which specifies that the shock took place just in front of the gates of a social children's home.
Arrived quickly at the scene of the accident, the emergency services could only note the death of the girl.
Seriously injured in the legs, the five-year-old boy was transported to the Arras hospital center.
According to the regional daily, the firefighters indicated that his life was no longer in danger.
The driver taken to the police station
Another little boy, aged three, was also taken there, as well as the 42-year-old lady who accompanied the children.
Both were in shock.
Three people working for the household waste collection service were seen by the fire brigade doctor but not taken to hospital.
All three were "taken care of by the police", according to Sdis.
The driver of the garbage truck was taken to the police station for questioning, according to La Voix du Nord, which also indicates that a psychological unit has also been set up at the Syndicat mixte Artois valorisation (SMAV), the company in charge of garbage collection in the city.