Police are investigating whether a health issue caused a driver to veer onto a pavement in Berlin, killing four people including a young child.

Officers in the German capital said a three-year-old boy, a 64-year-old woman and two men in their late 20s died after the man lost control of a Porsche SUV.

Three people were also seriously injured during the incident in Berlin’s central Mitte district at about 7pm on Friday.

Police said a blood sample was taken from the 42-year-old driver of the SUV and he was treated in hospital for head injuries.

He had two passengers in the vehicle, a 67-year-old woman and a six-year-old girl.

Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin Show all 9 1 /9 Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin Mourners lay floral tributes at the scene of a fatal crash in Berlin, Germany. Four people, including a three-year-old boy, were killed after a Porsche SUV mounted a pavement in the district of Mitte on 6 September 2019. EPA Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin epa07825064 Flowers on the site of a car accident in Berlin, Germany, 07 September 2019. According to the police, four people were killed and three seriously injured when a SUV car crashed into a group of pedestrians in the evening of 06 September 2019. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA FELIPE TRUEBA EPA Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin A destroyed car stands between rubble on a piece of land in Berlin Germany, Saturday,early Sept.7, 2019. Four people were killed in a serious traffic accident in the Mitte district. An off-road vehicle had raced over a sidewalk and through a building fence into a building plot and had killed passers-by in the process. (Paul Zinken/dpa via AP) Paul Zinken AP Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin epa07824785 A girl lays flowers at the site of a car accident in Berlin, Germany, 07 September 2019. According to the police, four people were killed and three seriously injured when a SUV car crashed into a group of pedestrians in the evening of 06 September 2019. EPA/ALEXANDER BECHER ALEXANDER BECHER EPA Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin epa07824786 A cardboard reads 'our mother' placed next to flowers at the site of a car accident in Berlin, Germany, 07 September 2019. According to the police, four people were killed and three seriously injured when a SUV car crashed into a group of pedestrians in the evening of 06 September 2019. EPA/ALEXANDER BECHER ALEXANDER BECHER EPA Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin epa07824783 Women lay flowers at the site of a car accident in Berlin, Germany, 07 September 2019. According to the police, four people were killed and three seriously injured when a SUV car crashed into a group of pedestrians in the evening of 06 September 2019. EPA/ALEXANDER BECHER ALEXANDER BECHER EPA Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin epa07823578 View of a wrecked car after a car accident in Berlin, Germany, 06 September 2019. Police informs of at least three dead people. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA FELIPE TRUEBA EPA Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin epa07823580 View of a wrecked car after a car accident in Berlin, Germany, 06 September 2019. Police informs of at least three dead people. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA FELIPE TRUEBA EPA Four people killed as car swerves onto pavement in Berlin epa07823576 View of a wrecked car after a car accident in Berlin, Germany, 06 September 2019. Police informs of at least three dead people. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA FELIPE TRUEBA EPA

Berlin police said on Saturday: “Initial indications that a medical emergency involving the driver could have been the cause, as well as all other witness statements, information and evidence, are part of the investigation.”

The force asked members of the public to “refrain from speculation in consideration of the relatives”.

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Mourners gathered at the scene of the crash on Saturday to lay floral tributes and pay their respects to the victims.