A speeding car ran a red light and plowed into cars at a busy intersection Thursday in a fiery crash that killed five people, including a baby, just outside Los Angeles, authorities said. Shortly after 1:30 p.m., a Mercedes-Benz sedan caused a crash involving six cars near a gas station in unincorporated Windsor Hills about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southwest of downtown Los Angeles, according to the California Highway Patrol. Several people were thrown from cars and two vehicles caught fire. Television reports showed the blackened and mangled cars, as well as a child’s car seat among the debris covering the street. Video showed the Mercedes careening through an intersection, hitting at least two cars that burst into flames and were sent tumbling onto the pavement, snaking against the gas station’s corner sign. A burst of fire resulted in one car. One vehicle was torn in half. The car was going at least 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) as it sped through the busy intersection, CHP Officer Franco Pepi said. The CHP initially said three adults, including one pregnant, and an infant were killed. However, another body was later found in one of the burned cars, Pepi said at an evening news conference. Pepi said eight people were taken to the hospital, including the 40-year-old woman who was driving the Mercedes. She has serious injuries. The other victims had minor injuries and included a 33-year-old woman and six children ranging in age from 13 months to 15 years, Pepi said.
A speeding car ran a red light and plowed into cars at a busy intersection Thursday in a fiery crash that killed five people, including a baby, just outside Los Angeles, authorities said.
Shortly after 1:30 p.m., a Mercedes-Benz sedan caused a crash involving six cars near a gas station in unincorporated Windsor Hills about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southwest of downtown Los Angeles, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Several people were thrown from the cars, and two cars caught fire. Television reports showed blackened and disfigured cars, as well as a child’s seat among the debris that littered the street.
Video footage shows the Mercedes careening through an intersection, hitting at least two cars that burst into flames and were sent to the pavement, rolling against the gas station’s corner sign. A burst of fire resulted in one car. One vehicle was cut in half.
The car was going at least 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) as it sped through the busy intersection, CHP Officer Franco Pepi said.
The CHP initially said three adults, including one who was pregnant, and an infant were killed. Later, however, another body was found in one of the burned cars, Pepi said at an evening press conference.
Pepi said eight people were taken to hospital, including the 40-year-old woman who was driving the Mercedes. She had serious injuries.
The other victims had minor injuries and included a 33-year-old woman and six children ranging in age from 13 months to 15 years, Pepi said.