Two men are dead and two more are in critical condition after a violent and unusual early afternoon crash in Kanata North.

It happened around 1:10 p.m. at the intersection of March Rd. and Carling Ave. beside the Mitel campus.

Both vehicles sustained major impact damage and the injuries were such that firefighters immediately covered one of the vehicles with a tarp.

Two people were trapped and firefighters managed to extricate them using the Jaws of Life.

Paramedics say there were a total four people involved — all men. They don’t know the age of the two men who were pronounced dead at the scene — both in the same vehicle.

The two others are a father and son age 70 and 45. They both suffered critical, life-threatening injuries for which they were treated by paramedics at scene.

One of the men was taken to an hospital by ambulance, the other by air ambulance. The driver is the one who was taken by land ambulance, the passenger was the more seriously hurt.

Police are investigating and have already spoken to witnesses and taken preliminary statements. Collision reconstruction experts and investigators arrived on-scene around 3 p.m. and began to probe the circumstances of the crash.

Those at the scene, as well as Sun sources, claim one the vehicles drove through the intersection, hit the median and went airborne — flipping and landing hood-on-hood with a Toyota sitting at the intersection, waiting at a red light to turn from Carling Ave. onto March Rd. The vehicle that struck the Toyota then careened into the ditch next to Mitel.

The two deceased were in the Toyota.

Insp. John Medeiros wouldn’t confirm the preliminary details and said police won’t decide if charges are pending until they’ve reviewed the witness statements and the collision experts determine if speed was a factor.

Sources told the Sun the vehicle that flipped had been driving erratically prior to the collision.

None of those involved have been identified and it’s not known if they are from the area. Police began trying to contact the families of those involved around 3 p.m.

Police shut Carling Ave. in both directions and only the southbound lane of March Rd. was left open. Closures continued until late Sunday night, when all the roads had reopened.

doug.hempstead@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @DougHempstead