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2 Killed, 1 Seriously Injured In Bronx River Parkway Crash

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two people were killed and another critically hurt after an early morning crash on the Bronx River Parkway.

It happened around 4:15 a.m. Friday in the southbound lanes just south of the Cross Bronx Expressway near Watson Avenue in Soundview.

A 2006 Mini Cooper carrying three people slammed into a tree, split in half and burst into flames, police said. Cell phone video taken by witness Manuel Lorenzo shows a smoldering car surrounded by firefighters dousing it with water.

"I heard something like three times, like 'bam, bam, bam' and when I go down, I see the fire."

Police said the driver and the front passenger were ejected and both were found lying on the ground with severe body trauma.

The two victims, a 20-year-old man and a 23-year-old man, were taken to the hospital where the 20-year-old man was pronounced dead. The other man is listed in critical condition.

The third victim was found in the back of the car and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The body was so badly charred, police couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman.

Investigators were on the scene for several hours Friday morning.

Police sources said speed was definitely a factor in the crash and investigators are looking into reports the driver was racing, CBS 2's Weijia Jiang reported.

The victims' identities have not yet been released.

The investigation is ongoing.

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