'He never stood a chance': Tradie opens up on boy's final moments

The scene of a car crash outside Hurstville Public School today where a 12-year-old boy died. Photo / News Corp Australia

A schoolboy who was killed after being crushed beneath a car in Sydney smiled as he crossed paths with a tradie just seconds before he was struck.

A painter who was starting work for the day near Hurstville Public School in the city's south has spoken of 12-year-old Ryan Wang's tragic final moments, saying he held the child's hand while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

The heroic tradesman, who asked not to be named, said he rushed to help when the horrific incident occurred at about 8.30am on Friday, news.com.au reported.

The Sydney Technical High School student was walking across the road on his way to school when a vehicle allegedly ran a red light and hit him.

The 36-year-old driver, Rabih Abdul Rahman, was seen covering his head as police arrested him. He has now been charged with manslaughter, dangerous driving occasioning death, drive while disqualified and other traffic offences.

The tradie said he heard the "freakish" crash and loud screams before racing towards the vehicle to find "blood everywhere".

"I got down on the ground and saw him under the car, and I thought he might be alive," he told Daily Mail Australia.

"Someone had called an ambulance by then, so I just sat there with him. It was horrible, he never stood a chance."

The man said he believed it was the same boy who had smiled at him moments before the crash as he was walking to school.

He also told of how the driver acted calmly as the distressing scene unfolded.

"He didn't say anything he just stood by his car, and then he started smoking," the tradie told the Daily Mail.

"He was walking around his car acting normal. He didn't try to help the boy, he just looked under the car and that was it."

Rabih Abdul Rahman was arrested at the scene by officers from the St George Police Area Command and was taken to hospital for mandatory testing. Photo / Facebook

The tradie told news.com.au there was nothing anyone could do to save the boy.

"I tried to help but there was so much blood I couldn't touch him," he said.

"I saw blood everywhere … After maybe 20 minutes the ambulance came and they took over. People were trying to help but no one could. My mate and I tried to move the car off of him but it was too heavy."

When the boy was freed, bystanders at the scene furiously performed CPR in an attempt to save him.

Police said teachers and an off-duty nurse who was in the area rushed to help. However, the child's injuries were just too grave.

NSW Ambulance confirmed the boy was taken to Sydney Children's Hospital. He was pronounced dead on arrival.

The tradie who did not want to be named said there was nothing anyone could do to save the boy who died after being trapped under a car in Sydney this morning. Photo / News Corp Australia

TRAGIC TEXT TO PARENTS

News.com.au has seen a text sent from the school to parents this afternoon.

Seemingly innocuous, it advises parents to pick up their kids from the "back and side gates".

But the understated text omits the reason the front entrance is closed — because it's the location where the tragic incident occurred.

This afternoon the car was still lying across the footpath beside the school gates, in the centre of a crime scene.

One mum, who has a child at the school and didn't want to be named, told news.com.au the boy who was killed had a younger relative at the school.

"It is all quite devastating. It is so sad to think that it could happen to anyone's child," she said.

Another mother who was picking up her child said: "It had just happened when I was dropping my child off to school. I saw all the kids being ushered out of their line-ups. I just feel so bad for the boy's mum".

A spokesman for the NSW Education Department said both schools were "deeply saddened" by his death.

"The student was a much loved member of each school community. The school community's thoughts and heartfelt sympathy are with the student's family and friends at this most distressing time," the spokesman said.

"The department, Sydney Technical High School and Hurstville Public School are working closely with all their students and staff to support them at this most difficult time."

Talking to media, Assistant Superintendent Craig James said the student was crossing the road when he was struck during the "tragic" incident.

NSW Ambulance duty operations manager David Stride said it was a "distressing scene for everybody".

"The first people on the scene were absolutely terrific and I understand an off-duty nurse performed CPR," he said.

"Our paramedics worked extremely closely with other emergency services at the scene, but despite their best efforts there was nothing they could do.

"A NSW Ambulance chaplain has been sent to the scene and our thoughts are with the boy's family and friends."

The driver was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Bail Court on September 7.