A crowd of more than 20 witnesses gathered around a car after it struck and pinned a nine-year-old boy Saturday, with several of the strangers banding together to lift the vehicle off the child.

A video exclusive to CBC News shows the incredible reaction of the witnesses near the accident, who rushed to help as the boy's mother screamed.

"They put it on neutral, they lifted it up and they pushed it backwards," said one youth who witnessed the event.

"He was bleeding from his back. He was like crumpled up. The condition was really bad," the youth added.

Police say the boy was struck by a car on Thorncliffe Park Drive in East York Saturday.

Witnesses who saw the accident said the victim was pinned and dragged nearly 15 metres towards a light pole.

The boy was taken to Sick Kids hospital and it is believed that his injuries are serious but not life-threatening.

He was hit at about 1:30 p.m. just steps from a crosswalk. Witnesses say he was crossing in front of a bus that had stopped to pick up passengers. As he stepped toward the centre of the road, he was hit by a Lincoln Town Car.

Police are continuing to investigate.