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An explosive, high-speed car crash in Los Angeles has killed one person and injured five others. At least nine vehicles were damaged in the incident, including a BMW that "disintegrated," according to police.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said the deadly collision happened after three vehicles, including the BMW, got into a street race on Corbin Avenue near Saticoy Street around 8 p.m. local time Sunday in the Reseda neighborhood of L.A.
The BMW was reported to have crashed into several parked vehicles before exploding in a fireball on the roadway. A spokesperson for the L.A. Fire Department, Margaret Stewart, told the Los Angeles Times the engine had spilled onto the street and burst into a fire.
Video from a home security camera nearby, which captured a portion of the chain reaction crash, showed the fiery explosion that resulted from the initial impact.
The footage from the scene showed a pick-up truck surrounded by at least three crushed cars, while another pick-up truck was seen on its two front wheels.
A convertible and a Mini Cooper, as well as the BMW, were speeding northbound on Corbin Avenue before the Mini Cooper crashed into a Kia Optima, which had turned right from Saticoy to Corbin, police told local TV station KTLA.
After being pushed into opposing lanes of traffic, the Kia was reported to have crashed into a Volkswagen Golf heading south on Corbin.
The unnamed driver of the BMW, identified only as a 28-year-old man, lost control and crossed into opposing traffic, crashing into a Chevy Silverado vehicle, police told KTLA.
In a news release, police said: "The force of the collision between the BMW and the Chevy, caused the Chevy to collide with parked vehicles and the BMW disintegrated, killing the driver."
The BMW driver was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver of the Chevy was severely injured and taken to a hospital.
The drivers of the Mini Cooper and the Volkswagen suffered minor injuries. Both the driver and passenger of the Kia were taken to a hospital with minor injuries and later released, KTLA reported.
Maria Carrillo, whose car was severely damaged in the incident, heard the explosion and crashes taking place right outside her home. She found her car mangled, with a pick-up truck on top of it.
"The only good thing that everybody is saying is that we were not inside the car and nothing happened to us," she told KTLA.
No arrests have been made and the investigation of the incident is ongoing.
The police warned in the news release: "Speed kills, reckless driving and street racing will not be tolerated in the City of Los Angeles."
Newsweek has contacted the LAPD for comment.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in Read more