Violent crash claims the lives of 3 high school students in West Brookfield

WEST BROOKFIELD, Mass — Grief counselors will be on hand Wednesday morning at a local high school to help students and teachers cope with a devastating loss.

Massachusetts State Police said three teenagers were killed in a single car crash Tuesday evening in West Brookfield.

MORE: 3 students dead after rollover crash in West Brookfield

The identities of the three teens killed have not been released, but officials said they were students at Quaboag Regional High School in Warren.

The crash was reported on Douglas Road near Route 9 – a winding, heavily wooded central Massachusetts road.

West Brookfield police Chief Tom O’Donnell said his own children go to the high school, and this loss of three students hits close to home.

“It’s a very small community,” he said. “A very tight knit community. Everybody knows everybody. It makes it difficult, where you know the parents. You know the people involved.”

The investigation into what caused the car to leave the road, slam into a tree and roll over will continue Wednesday.

“We have plans for these kinds of things,” O’Donnell said. “You just hope you never have to implement them.”

Wednesday morning, Superintendent Brett Kustigian was at the school as students arrived in the morning.

"Our community suffered a very tragic loss last night," Kustigian said. "We're deeply saddended and deeply concerned for all of our students. We have grief counseling set up for today. And it's going to be a difficult week - but we will get through this together."

Classmates of the victims have been posting tributes on social media.

Superintendent Kustigian released a statement Tuesday night, saying “I am aware of an accident involving 3 Quaboag High School Students. I am in constant communication with the state and local police departments.”

Cox Media Group