A serious accident occurred on an alley between two hotels in Sunny Beach, sending six people to the hospital, among them three children. The crash was caused by a teenager driving an amusement ATV, who veered onto the sidewalk and struck several pedestrians.

The most severe injuries were sustained by a 4-year-old boy and his 35-year-old mother. Both remain in a coma in the intensive care unit. The father and two other children, identified as the driver’s nephews, escaped life-threatening harm. A hotel employee was also badly injured, suffering a broken pelvis.

The incident took place shortly after 2:00 p.m. An 18-year-old rented the ATV and, just meters after setting off, lost control, mounting the sidewalk and hitting passersby. According to hotelier Stefan Smirnov, the vehicle first struck the hotel’s employee before continuing forward. “When we arrived, our employee was lying on the ground. What we know is that he has a broken pelvis, and we’re waiting for further test results,” he said.

Before crashing into the façade of a hotel, the ATV collided with another man, a woman, and the three children accompanying them. Eyewitness Ivaylo Dimitrov described the aftermath as “shocking,” recalling a young woman lying unconscious, three ambulances at the scene, and at least two small children also injured and unresponsive.

The driver told police the brakes had failed and that he swerved onto the sidewalk to avoid a head-on collision with a car. The rental company declined to comment on the incident. Smirnov, who works in the area, claimed there is little oversight for such vehicles. “I haven’t seen any rules followed. They drive however they want, smoke, look at their phones. I don’t know their exact speed, but it’s certainly dangerous,” he said.

An auto technical inspection will determine whether the ATV was mechanically sound. The 18-year-old has been taken into custody. Tests for alcohol and drugs returned negative results.