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An SUV careened through the window of a Richmond Hill daycare Wednesday in a horrific crash that left a toddler dead and six other children injured in what police were describing as “not a deliberate act.”

The boy, one-and-a-half years old, was pronounced dead after he was rushed to hospital following the 3 p.m. crash. Another child was in serious condition while five other children and three adult staff, all taken to hospital, were treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Marit Stiles, the leader of the Ontario NDP, called the news “heartbreaking” in a post to social media where she shared her condolences Wednesday evening.

“Holding all of the families and staff in my thoughts, particularly the family of the toddler that was killed and all the little ones injured,” Stiles wrote. “An unimaginable tragedy.”

Keyi Zhang, 41, who owns daycare centres in Richmond Hill and Markham, said she was especially “shocked” by the crash at First Roots Academy.

“I cannot imagine (what) the parents are going through, because they sent their children to the daycare and they come back on the floor,” the owner of Newstead Academy said.

Zhang stood outside watching the aftermath for nearly an hour, wondering how it could have happened.聽

“This is very, very sad. Tragic.”

Mayor of Richmond Hill David West said the incident was “profoundly unsettling,” as a parent himself and offered his “deepest condolences” to the family and staff that were affected.

“I stand firmly with you united in grief, care, and resilience,”聽聽. “Please reach out to those who have been directly impacted, offering comfort and strength.”

He expressed his gratitude towards the first responders and added that police will be conducting a “comprehensive investigation” into the crash.

“In this moment, I urge our community join in compassion and support.”

The crash brought back difficult memories for the mayor of Laval, Que., in the Montreal area.

A city bus drove into a daycare in 2023, killing two children and injuring six others. A Quebec Superior Court judge declared the driver not criminally responsible in the crash earlier this year.

“My thoughts are with the children, families and educators affected in Ontario, as well as the entire Richmond Hill community,” Mayor St茅phane Boyer said in a post on social media.

“In Laval, we sadly know how deeply such a tragedy can affect a community and leave deep scars.”

As the light outside began to fade, fire trucks arrived and firefighters entered the building. A drilling sound could be heard.

Firefighters helped get a full-size Hyundai electric vehicle out of the building onto a tow truck at dusk. There was little apparent damage to the vehicle. The front licence plate hung to one side, and glass shrapnel could be seen on the hood.

First Roots Early Education Academy confirmed the crash at their school in a statement posted to Instagram.

“Heartbroken and deeply saddened by the tragic incident at our centre,” the story read.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family during this incredibly difficult time.”

Vincent Neil Ho, the MP for the daycare’s riding of Richmond Hill South, offered his condolences to the families that were affected, saying聽in a post to social media that the entire community is grieving with them tonight.

“As a father of an infant, I cannot imagine the pain these families are facing,” he wrote. “No parent should ever fear for their child鈥檚 safety in a place meant to nurture and protect.”

“My heart goes out to the parents, children, and staff impacted by this heartbreaking tragedy,” Ho added.

Canadian senator Salma Ataullahjan also responded to the “unthinkable tragedy,” saying in a post to X that her “heart aches for the families, caregivers, and community shattered by this loss.”

Brandon Tito, 32, started to notice more and more traffic along Yonge Street around 3 p.m. while he worked at a dealership about an eight-minute walk away.

Helicopters began circling the skies, and he went to his phone to look up what the commotion was about.

“I ride my bike past (the daycare) every day, and it’s just so unfortunate to hear that something happens while you’re working just up the road,” Tito said.

“It’s very tragic to see,” he added.

Jalili Hakimi, who has lived in the neighbourhood for 13 years, first found out about the crash when he heard helicopters and sirens buzzing around his house, about half a kilometre away from the daycare.

The Richmond Hill resident said he was concerned about the placement of the daycare and wished there were more security measures in place along the glass window.

鈥淵ou can see there is no shield in front of the parking spot, just close to the big glass wall and (there are) kids under two and three,鈥� Hakimi said. 鈥淭here should be a big shield (to) protect as an extra safety measure.鈥�

Looking at the scene of how it happened, the city needs to learn a lesson about inspection, he added.

Richmond Hill Mayor David West visited the crash site and called the incident “unimaginable.”

“It is hard to get your head around a tragedy like this,” he said. “It was shocking.”

West said he will speak with the family of the victim when the time is right.

“This is the worst day I have ever had in this position as mayor for sure, it was a very tragic and horrible day here in our city.”

Education Minister Paul Calandra and Children, Community and Social Services Minister Michael Parsa have cancelled a press conference that was scheduled for Thursday morning in York Region.

The change was made out of respect for those affected by the tragic accident, a spokesperson said.

Both ministers oversee different aspects of early years care and education in the province.

The two also represent York Region ridings; Parsa is the MPP for Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill, and Calandra is the MPP for Markham-Stouffville.

Paul Calandra, Ontario鈥檚 minister of education and MPP for Markham-Stouffville, said in a post to social media that he was 鈥渄eeply concerned by the tragic incident,鈥� and he is “thinking of everyone affected during this very difficult time.”

Residents and employees in the area west of Yonge Street didn’t hear the crash and were surprised to see the sudden influx of police cars and other emergency vehicles arrive at the daycare, blocking some from turning onto their normally quiet streets.

鈥淲e were quite shocked to see all the police cars,” said one woman who answered her home phone after 5 p.m. but did not provide her name.

Faati Tabatabaei said one of the children from the daycare came with their parents to pick up a sibling from the nearby after-school program where she works.

She said the child had a scratch and looked scared.

“I am scared too, because I don’t know what happened exactly and it is like, you don’t feel safe,” she said.

-With a file from The Canadian Press

Broken glass surrounded the side of the daycare, where a gaping hole in the window revealed a classroom in disarray, with scattered chairs and other materials thrown on the floor.

Any parents who have not yet heard from their child can go to Thornbush Court, north of the daycare, Const. Kevin Nebrija told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday evening.

Paramedics told the Star they initially responded with five ambulances, three superintendents, two specialty teams and two buses.

A one-and-a-half-year-old child has died, and six other children are injured after a vehicle flew through the window of a Richmond Hill daycare on Wednesday afternoon.

An SUV crashed into the child care centre near Yonge Street and Nottingham Drive, where 96 kids were attending daycare around 3 p.m., York police said.

Seven children, between the ages of one and three, were sent to hospital in the incident as well as three adult staff members. The one-and-a-half year-old was pronounced dead, a second child is in serious condition and the rest suffered injuries that are not life-threatening, Const. Kevin Nebrija told reporters outside the daycare.

A male driver in his 70s was arrested at the scene though Nebrija says the crash was not 鈥渁 deliberate act,鈥� a distinction they made based on speaking with witnesses. The driver is not facing any charges at this time.

鈥淚nitial information suggests the vehicle was in the parking lot at the time, and for reasons unknown, drove through the front of the window,鈥� Nebrija said. 鈥淎s you can imagine, this was a very chaotic scene.鈥�

All children have been accounted聽for though not all were reunited with their parents at the time of the Wednesday鈥檚 6 p.m. press conference, according to Nebrija who implored anybody affected by the incident to contact police鈥檚 victim services.

鈥淲e can appreciate this is a very alarming call for parents to receive and to attend at the end of their day,鈥� Nebrija said.

Investigators are trying to determine how far the vehicle went into the daycare, with Nebrija saying that it may have gone through multiple rooms.

Parents and guardians going to the centre are being asked to access the building from the north side on Thornbush Court. Police have shut down Yonge Street between Gamble Road and Brookside Road.

Paul Calandra, Ontario鈥檚 minister of education and MPP for Markham-Stouffville, said in a post to social media that he was 鈥渄eeply concerned by the tragic incident.鈥�

鈥淕rateful to first responders for their swift action, and thinking of everyone affected during this very difficult time,鈥� Calandra said.