BALLWIN, Mo. (KMOX) - Three teenagers were killed in a fiery single-car crash early Sunday morning in St. Louis County. Two other teens who were also in the car are expected to survive.
It happened around 4 a.m. in the 1100 block of Kiefer Creek Road as a Nissan Maxima with four boys and one girl inside struck a tree and burst into flames. Nearby residents say they woke up from the car exploding and saw flames as high as 12 feet in the air, according to Fox 2.
Those killed included the car’s driver, 16-year-old Cole Anello, of Manchester; 15-year-old Rhegan Sajben, of Wildwood; and 15-year-old Jacob Keifer, of Ballwin, according to a news release Monday by the St. Louis County Police Department. All three died at the scene.
Anello attended De Smet Jesuit High School, and Sajben and Keifer were students at Marquette High School. The other two, a 16-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries but are expected to survive. They both are also Marquette students.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Residents in the area say there have been multiple deadly crashed on the road in the last couple decades, as it's not well lit and deer are often crossing.
A GoFundMe set up for the Anello family has raised more than $32,000, towards at goal of $35,000, as of Monday morning.
Desmet released a statement saying, in part: “The Desmet Jesuit community is heartbroken by the loss of Cole Anello. We offer prayers for Cole, the other victims of this terrible tragedy, their families, and their friends.”
The Rockwood School District also released a statement:
"The Rockwood School District is shocked and saddened to learn about the tragic accident that resulted in the loss of two of our students and severe injuries to two more of our students from Marquette High School. Our sincere thoughts and sympathies are with the families, educators and friends who knew and loved these young people. We have assembled our crisis team at Marquette and will have counselors on hand this week for students and staff who will need assistance. We will also be supporting the families and friends of our injured students to ensure they have the assistance they need. Our hearts also go out to those who are mourning the loss of the other person involved in this tragic event."
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