AUBURN – Four people were hurt Thursday afternoon when a Ford Focus slammed into a utility pole on Turner Street.

Police said there were five people in the small car when it skidded out of control on Turner near Pleasant Street at about 3:30 p.m.

Four of the occupants were taken to Central Maine Medical Cente in Lewiston with a variety  of injuries, police said. Injuries for two of the victims were considered serious.

When police, fire and rescue crews first arrived, one of the victims was down on the sidewalk bleeding from the head, police said.

The driver of the car told investigators that the brakes had failed, causing her to slide into the pole. Police were continuing to investigate the wreck later Thursday.