PHOENIX — Three people are dead and two others are hurt after a car caught fire in a crash in west Phoenix.
Phoenix police say it happened around 10:15 Saturday night near 59th Avenue and Thomas Road.
Initial reports indicated a vehicle driven by an adult male with an adult male passenger were going east on Thomas Road.
The vehicle then collided into the rear of a pickup truck that had three people in it.
Police say the pickup truck caught fire and the people inside died as a result.
None of the victims have been identified yet.
Police continue to investigate what led up to the crash, and speed is believed to be a factor.
"I was standing near my cash register, and we heard a loud bang," says Edgar Ramirez, ran over to help.
Ramirez owns a food truck near 59th Avenue and Thomas Road, just steps away from where a crash caused a truck to burst into flames.
"I did see a trail of fire leading up to the accident, which brought me to believe the gasoline tank had exploded," says Ramirez.
Edgar immediately jumped into action.
"I grabbed the fire extinguisher. I ran over there to try to help but, I mean, that flame was pretty intense. I wasn’t able to calm it down any," says Ramirez.
Anahi Salazar was also at the intersection and saw what happened.
"Not even 15 seconds… it went from a flame right in front of the car, to the whole car just engulfed in flames," says Salazar, who called 911. "They were just reassuring me that help was on the way, but it did take them a while to get here."
