A police inspector has recounted the harrowing events as bystanders rushed to assist a woman and her two young daughters trapped in their vehicle following a significant crash on the Sunshine Coast.

The two girls, aged one and three, are currently battling for their lives at Queensland Children’s Hospital after a dump truck rear-ended their car, forcing it against a construction site in Banya just before noon yesterday.

Their 37-year-old mother is in stable condition at Sunshine Coast University Hospital, alongside several others who sustained minor injuries in the crash.

“It was undoubtedly a distressing scene,” stated Acting Inspector Matt Robertson.

“The situation was tragic for everyone involved, including the witnesses, the accident victims, and the first responders from ambulance and police services. Such incidents have a profound impact on everyone present,” he added.

“Anyone who attends these situations doesn’t necessarily want to be confronted with it, but they do their job and get involved and it does affect us, it affects everybody.

“The people who witnessed that accident immediately jumped in to assist and assist all the people involved in it and nobody shied away from getting in, helping, providing assistance.”

The dump truck first collided into the back of a car, sending it across the road, near the intersection of Banya Avenue and Bruny Street.

It then travelled another 400m before smashing into several cars that were stopped at the intersection and pinned the blue Haval station wagon with the young family inside.

The 52-year-old male truck driver suffered minor injuries.

Police have spoken to him as they investigate the cause of the crash.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or who has relevant CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact police.