Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 02/99) - Three teenagers were killed in a single vehicle accident 35 kilometres east of Yellowknife, near Powder Point on the Ingraham Trail Saturday.

The accident took place about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday evening and it is believed the group were driving to a party at Cameron River Falls.

Dead are the driver, Murray Zoe, 16, and passengers Shannon Templeton and Darren Greenland, both 15.

RCMP report Zoe lost control of a 1996 Buick Regal on a curve and the car left the road before flipping on its roof into a small lake.

Police say speed was a factor.

Five people were in the vehicle and two managed to escape with minor injuries.

Toxicology tests are set to be done by the coroner's office to see if alcohol played a role, according to coroner Percy Kinney.

"We do toxicology tests on everybody but whether alcohol is involved is not known at this time," he said.

When paramedics arrived they tried to revive Templeton and Greenland.

Once those attempts failed, paramedics in wet suits entered the lake and extricated Zoe, who was stuck in the car under water.

Kinney said it is believed all passengers were wearing seatbelts, however, the investigation is continuing.