Lithgow crash: Grim update on horror holiday five-car crash as a child fights for their life and two men, 42 and 49, die at the scene on Great Western Highway: Cops describe how carnage unfolded

A child is fighting for his life after a devastating five-car crash left two male drivers, 42 and 49, dead and a dozen people hospitalized west of the NSW Blue Mountains.

Police said Friday's holiday traffic jam on the Great Western Highway at Wallerawang, about 15km north of Lithgow, appeared to have occurred when a car crossed onto the wrong side of the road.

Investigators said Saturday morning that an eastbound Isuzu D-Max towing a motorcycle trailer collided with a westbound Toyota Hilux.

That Toyota then hit a Hyundai Tuscan, causing it to be thrown off the highway and the occupants trapped.

In the chaos, the Isuzu then struck a Kia Carnival head-on. A Nissan Patrol, towing a caravan, then collided with the Isuzu's trailer.

The Isuzu and Kia drivers were both trapped and died on the spot.

One child is fighting for his life in hospital with serious injuries (in the photo we see ambulance crews driving a patient away from the scene of the accident)

The Kia's six passengers – including five children and a 41-year-old woman – were all injured.

One child is in critical but stable condition, while the other four are stable, and the adult has been released from hospital.

Many of the people involved in the fatal accident were traveling or returning from holidays for the Christmas/New Year period.

Images from the scene show more than a dozen ambulance vehicles, with paramedics and SES officers helping the injured.

Several vehicles were crumpled wrecks with debris scattered across the 70 mph stretch of highway, including suitcases, pillows and dirt bikes.

The impact of the crash was so powerful that a minivan was completely destroyed, while another vehicle ended up in the ditch.

The five-vehicle crash occurred along the Great Western Highway at Wallerawang, about 15km north of Lithgow in NSW, with emergency services responding at around 12.50pm on Friday.

Motorists were urged to avoid the area as the Great Western Highway was closed in both directions (pictured, emergency services at the scene of the accident)

The Great Western Highway has now reopened.

NSW Police Inspector Paul Glinn said: “It appears a vehicle crossed the wrong side of the road.”

Firefighters arrived at 'a confronting scene of carnage'.

“Crews with the assistance of ambulances and volunteer associations had to make crucial decisions when assessing patients,” NSW Fire and Rescue Chief Phil Vaiciurgis said.

'We had to carry out two complex rescues of serious crush injuries, provide fire protection and assist police and ambulance to make the accident scene safe.'

Friday's tragedy takes the road death toll in NSW to 352 in 2023 – 82 more than last year.

Six passengers in a Kia Carnival – including five children and a woman, 41 – were all injured (photo, crash aftermath)

Fire and Rescue NSW service commander Phil Vaiciurgis described the crash site (pictured) as a 'confronting scene of carnage'

Several of the vehicles involved in the five-car pileup (one above) were left crumpled wrecks

Up to 15 people were injured in the crash, including several children, and two male drivers were killed (photo, emergency services at the crash site)

The accident takes the NSW road death toll to 352 by 2023 – 82 more than last year (pictured, one of the injured is loaded into a helicopter)

The tragedy has rocked the region west of the Blue Mountains.

“It is shocking news and everyone sends their condolences to the families and loved ones involved in this serious accident,” Bathurst MP Paul Toole said. ABC news.

'It has a far-reaching effect in our local communities.

“I know the police have not identified those involved in the incident, but we know it will cause a lot of grief and loss.”

Detectives are calling on anyone with information or dashcam footage to contact the police.