One dead, child injured as water truck crashes into Riddells Creek kindergarten in regional Victoria

A woman is dead and a child has been injured after a truck lost control and crashed into a small-town kindergarten in regional Victoria, northwest of Melbourne.

The water tanker hit a power pole before veering off the straight stretch of road and crashing into the Macedon Ranges Montessori Pre-School on Main Rd in Riddells Creek about 2.20pm on Monday.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Pre-school carer killed and child injured as water truck crashed into pre-school.

A 43-year-old Sunbury woman - who is a carer of a child with special at the school - died at the scene.

“Maybe due to that, she was trying to save the child, protect the child, maybe,” a witness told 7NEWS.

“It is very tragic that this has happened, you wouldn’t think it would ever happen in a small town like this.”

A three-year-old boy was also injured and was taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital with a serious upper-body injury, according to Victorian Ambulance Services.

McKenzie Water owner Alan McKenzie confirmed the truck belonged to his company and said the 68-year-old driver was understood to have suffered a medical episode.

The driver, who is assisting police with their inquiries, was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition for observation.

“As a small, family-owned business, we are devastated following the tragic crash at Riddells Creek ... this is an incredibly distressing time and our deepest sympathies go to those involved and their families and friends,” McKenzie said.

“Our experienced 68-year-old driver is understood to have suffered a medical episode and remains in hospital ... we are doing what we can to support him and his family.”

“We thank staff and emergency workers who responded. We are assisting authorities with their investigations.

“McKenzie Water Pty Ltd has been operating in Melbourne and Victoria for 40 years, and our priority has always been safety and compliance.“

Footage from the scene shows emergency vehicles including fire trucks and ambulances parked across the thoroughfare. Police also taped off the area surrounding the preschool on Monday afternoon as they investigated.

A second damaged vehicle - a white sedan - remained near the accident, missing its front bumper.

Detective Senior Sergeant Christian Von Tunk said initial investigations led them to believe the truck lost control on a bridge about 120m from the preschool.

“It appears there’s some contact with that bridge - we can see some debris,” he said.

“There are also some signs on the left-hand side of the road that appear to have been struck as well.

“It’s a tragic set of circumstances which actually could have been a lot worse. This is one of those close calls and I don’t know how only one person has died today.”

Victorian Health Minister and Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas thanked first responders who helped the injured.

“This is a terrible incident and our thoughts are with the family of the victims and the broader Riddells Creek community,” she said.

Less than a fortnight after similar tragedy

The crash comes less than a fortnight after Jack Davey, 11, was killed when a car crashed into his Melbourne schoolyard.

Jack was sitting at a table with four other students at Auburn South Primary in Hawthorn when the car ploughed through a fence and into the schoolyard on October 29.

Two 10-year-old boys, a 10-year-old girl and two 11-year-old girls were seriously injured in the incident and taken to hospital.

The driver of the SUV, a 40-year-old Hawthorn East mother, had just collected her child from the school in Melbourne’s east and attempted a U-turn when the crash happened.

Her family issued a statement via Victoria Police on Friday, saying “we are all in shock”.

“No words can truly convey the depth of this tragedy. We are all in shock, wishing this was just a bad dream, but sadly this is our reality,” they said.

“To Jack’s family, we can only offer our heartfelt condolences. Our hearts go out to you and to every family affected by this loss.

“To those injured, may you heal quickly – God bless you all.”

The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been laid.

Days after the crash, Jack’s parents expressed their utter devastation as they come to terms with the sudden and overwhelming loss death of their child.

An online fundraiser launched to support the Davey family had grown to more than $240,000.

- with AAP