BURBANK, Calif. - Five people were killed early Saturday morning after their car spun out of control and burst into flames in Burbank, trapping people inside, officials said.
Hours after the wreck, firefighters were assisting the coroner’s office in removing the bodies, which were “burned beyond recognition,” from the wreckage for further investigation, Burbank Fire Capt. Peter Hendrickson said.
There was one survivor, an 18-year-old woman who managed to crawl out of the burning Nissan and was found by police about 150 feet away from the wreckage when theyarrived shortly after 4 a.m.
The woman suffered a broken leg and was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the Los Angeles County Medical Center, Sgt. Darin Ryburn said. He said her father was with her at the hospital.
Paramedics reported smelling alcohol on her breath, Fire Battalion Chief Ron Barone said. Authorities don’t yet know whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash, but speed appeared to be a factor. The car burst into flames after striking a guardrail near an Interstate 5 off-ramp and careened into a freeway pillar behind it.
The curving stretch of roadway has a posted 45 mph speed limit, but vehicles often fly off the freeway at speeds closer to 70 mph, and accidents have happened in the area in the past, according to authorities.
The vehicle was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. “There was absolutely no possibility of any rescue whatsoever,” Barone said.
Front Section, Pages 2 on 09/29/2013