A defective brake on a trailer piled with building rubbish is to blame for the weekend’s fatal accident in which four members of the same family died, police have told local broadcaster RTV Drenthe.

The accident happened near the village of Stieltjeskanaal in Drenthe province on Saturday. According to police, the trailer failed to stop and ran into the car, pushing it over the edge of a canal and into three metres of water. All four people in the car, ranging in age from sixty-four to two, were killed.

The car was dragged down quickly by the weight of the trailer and ended upside down in the mud, police said. The back window burst open, filling the car quickly with water. The doors were also damaged in the accident and could not be opened, making it impossible for the family to escape.

According to the Telegraaf, the family had only recently moved to the village and wanted to make a new start. They were currently working on renovating their new home.