CANTON — Five children were killed Monday afternoon when the driver of an SUV traveling west on Interstate 20 lost control, slammed into a traffic sign on the right of way then rolled several times, ejecting nine people.

Twelve people were riding in the vehicle when the wreck occurred about 2 p.m. near FM 773 in Van Zandt County. The SUV was registered in Marshall, a Department of Public Safety trooper said.

Pronounced dead at the scene were four girls, ages 13, 6, 3 and 2. A 5-year-old boy died later at Dallas Children’s Hospital; he was one of three children taken by helicopter to the Dallas hospital.

Other passengers were transported by ambulance to area hospitals.

Two passengers were said to have non-life threatening injures

DPS Trooper Jean Dark said there were no child safety seats in the vehicle, and a language barrier was hampering the investigation.

It is unknown who was driving at the time of the wreck, Dark said. The children were wearing swimsuits, and she said the group was headed from Marshall to the Splash Kingdom water park in Canton

Names of the victims had not been released Monday evening.