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2 dead after car runs red light, crashes, erupts in flames in Tacoma

TACOMA, Wash. — Two people have been killed in a fiery crash in Tacoma and two others were hurt.

The Tacoma Police Department first tweeted about the fatal crash shortly before 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Two cars were involved. Police believe the two people who were killed, along with a teenager who was hurt, were all in a car that police say ran a red light and hit another car while crossing the intersection of South 38th Street and Pacific Avenue.

The crash caused the car that ran the light to veer off the road, hit a pole, and catch fire.

“We believe the vehicle was heading eastbound on 38th Street at a high rate of speed and struck that northbound car,” said Tacoma Police Department Public Information Officer Wendy Haddow.

A 15-year-old who was in the car that caught fire was taken to Harborview Medical Center with serious, non-life-threatening injuries.

A man who was driving the second car also has non-life-threatening injuries.

Bystander video sent to KIRO 7 shows one vehicle engulfed in flames and a second damaged car.

Some good Samaritans stopped to help the people trapped inside the burning car, including an employee with the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office, according to Haddow.

Wesley Smith, who lives a block away from where the crash occurred, said he was home when, “All of a sudden, I heard a loud boom.”

“I just took off running, told (my friend) to get on the phone and call 911,” Smith said. “Knowing that two people didn’t make it, especially if you put yourself in that kid’s shoes … I just hope the kid’s OK.”

Investigators are still working to figure out the exact speed of the eastbound car. Detectives are also working to determine more about the car and the three victims inside.

“At this time, (the car) does not appear to have been stolen,” Haddow said. “That is still under investigation.”

The intersection of South 38th Street and Pacific Avenue was closed while the collision investigation team documented the scene.