A Four-year-old girl and a 40-year-old man believed to be her father are fighting for their lives after a crash on the A90 just north of Dundee.
Emergency services were called to the accident near Powrie Brae around 3.15pm on Monday after a Toyota collided with the rear of an articulated lorry.
It took more than an hour for firefighters using heavy cutting equipment to free both passengers from the car.
The roof of the people carrier had to be cut off before they could remove the girl and the man from the wreckage of the Toyota, which was trapped under the rear of the lorry.
Police could not confirm if the two were related but said their next of kin were being informed of the incident.
The casualties were taken to hospital from the site of the crash in separate ambulances.
The collision occurred just yards from The Black Watch Memorial on Emmock Road.
The driver of the lorry, which had been parked in a lay-by when the collision occurred, was unhurt.
The southbound road was closed at Tealing to allow the emergency services to deal with accident safely.
Sergeant Craig McBean from Police Scotland Tayside Division’s Road Policing Unit said both occupants of the car were in a serious condition.
He said: “There were two casualties – an adult male and a female child – removed from the car and they are receiving treatment for serious injuries at Ninewells Hospital.”
Sergeant McBean said the severity of their injuries meant they were “potentially” life-threatening.
He added: “The road is closed and will be for some time to allow our investigations to continue.”
The lorry belonged to Dumfries-based haulage firm Currie European but the company said it was unaware of the incident when contacted on Monday afternoon.
For the latest on this story, see Tuesday’s Courier.
