A Dunnville family has lost a son in a fiery head-on crash on Highway 20, just days after his brother died.

Dennis Falletta, who friends say just graduated from Dunnville Secondary School, was killed Friday morning in a two-car crash just east of Regional Road 24 (Victoria Avenue) that took the lives of two other Dunnville men and injured five others. Falletta's brother Aaron John Falletta, 19, died on Monday.

Former Dunnville mayor Bernie Corbett and his wife Brenda said the town is reeling at the thought of losing three young men, but is additionally upset at seeing a family lose two sons in a week.

A fourth young Dunnville man, John Crumb, was able to get out of the burning wreck and survived. His three friends were pronounced dead at the scene.

"Everybody's just in horror," said Brenda Corbett, whose sister Doreen and brother-in-law Ed Passmore are good friends with Dennis's parents. "They've lost two sons in four days."

She said the parents are in "utter disbelief. They're all in shock." She said her sister has been with the family since the death of Aaron and called her in "hysterics" mid-afternoon to tell her the latest news.

"It's a tragedy and our hearts go out to them," said Bernie Corbett, mayor from 1988 to 1991. "Our community is in shock. It's just too close to home. Two boys from one family is tremendous heartache. The community feels for that."

The accident occurred at about 1:15 a.m. in the short stretch between Victoria Avenue and Brady Street where there is a slight curve in the road. Niagara police say a car with four people was westbound on Highway 20 when it drifted into the eastbound lane, hitting an oncoming SUV with four people.

The car burst into flames, while the SUV ended up in a ditch. Police, EMS and firefighters from Pelham and Thorold attended the scene.

Crumb and the four others were taken to Welland County General Hospital for treatment. Jim Yungblutt, a man in his 60s, was airlifted to Hamilton General Hospital in serious condition.

Jeff Yungblutt of Vineland, whose father was moved to Hamilton, said his parents and two of their friends were returning home from the Hamilton airport after a trip to Calgary at the time of the crash. He said his mother and friends have been treated and released from the hospital.

The highway was closed for hours to allow the collision reconstruction unit of Niagara police to investigate the accident. Police are not expected to release the victims' names for a few days.

Sharon Norton lives on Highway 20 and heard the crash while she was sleeping. It happened on the highway in front of a bush between her and her neighbour's home. She said it was a very loud bang, but she believed one of her dogs had just knocked over a plant. A little while later she looked out her front window and saw ambulance lights and cars pulled on to the shoulder.

Niagara Police Chief Jeff McGuire said the crash will have a devastating impact on more than just those close to the victims.

"A number of families have been shattered today and the community will certainly take an impact from this as well," he said.

Any witnesses to the crash are asked to call the Niagara police traffic unit at 905-688-4111 , ext. 5500.