Ontario Provincial Police and the coroner's office are investigating the death of a 13-year-old boy who collapsed during an evening soccer game in Drayton on Canada Day.

"It was an under-14 game, Wallace versus Drayton, and a boy from Wallace Township collapsed," said Rick Richardson, the chief of Mapleton Fire Rescue.

"We were setting up fireworks with the volunteer fire department across the river. Like, we were right across the river from where it happened. So they called 911, we went over there with our medical truck and did CPR and had the defibrillator but we could not revive him," said Richardson.

The 911 call was placed just before 8 p.m. on Wednesday night.

The pitch where the boy collapsed is on Wellington Street in Drayton, a small town located about 46 kilometres northwest of Kitchener.

​The boy was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Police provided few details, other than to say an autopsy is scheduled for Thursday and the results are expected to be released Friday.

According to Richardson, the boy's death is being felt deeply in the community.

"A lot of grief, a lot of upset. I mean, the boy wasn't from Drayton, but a lot of people know people from Wallace, you know, and having that happen in your soccer field is not a nice thing to happen in front of people," said Richardson.