NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ont. (CP) -- At least three people were killed Sunday when a van carrying 12 members of an American church group lost control and flipped over just before entering the Queenston-Lewiston bridge to the United States.

Three of the occupants are dead and many others are in serious condition with life-threatening injuries, said Ontario Provincial Police Sr. Const. Vince Gircys.

CFTO News in Toronto reported that a fourth person had died.

Police said all the victims are Americans who were returning from a religious event in Toronto.

Ages of the people in the van varied, said Gircys without releasing more details.

The van's door was painted with the name Gospel Assembly Church, and had a Bronx, N.Y. phone number. CFTO said the people were from the Grace Gospel Church.

The van, draped with a tarpaulin, remained upside down in front of what used to be a toll booth remaining from when tolls were collected on the Canadian side.

Some bodies of the victims remained inside the van while emergency workers awaited the coroner's arrival, Fire Department deputy district chief John Andersen said.