2 Killed In Fiery Car Crash In Jamaica
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two people were killed Sunday morning in a single-car crash in Queens.
Just before 4:30 a.m., a 2001 Nissan Maxima was traveling eastbound on the Grand Central Parkway service road in Jamaica and lost control coming off the roadway, police said. It then struck scaffolding surrounding Thomas Edison High School and burst into flames, witnesses said.
The two occupants were pronounced dead at the scene, WCBS 880's Monica Miller reported.
2 Killed In Fiery Crash In Jamaica
The car appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed, according to witnesses.
The crash was so loud, it woke up Sharik Alam, who lives on the other side of the Grand Central, CBS2's Steve Langford reported.
"I heard a big explosion around 4 o'clock in the morning," Alam said.
The impact was so powerful, beams were bent, a light pole was brought down and part of the scaffolding destroyed.
The construction crew called in to clean up the destruction was visibly shaken by the sight of the two victims, Langford reported.
"You couldn't recognize them. You couldn't tell if they were male or female," said construction manager Kieran Allen.
One neighbor called the accident a tragedy.
"Life is so precious," the man told 1010 WINS' Derricke Dennis. "It's a sad reality that friends and families and strangers ... you have to worry about people all around you."
2 Killed In Fiery Crash In Jamaica
The neighbor added that the service road is a known speed zone with no speed bumps, and a speed camera was recently installed.
Police are not releasing the names of the victims until their families have been notified.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The school was not damaged.
