A 21-year-old Texas woman died after being trapped inside a car that crashed into a tree and burst into flames, setting off fireworks in the trunk that prevented her rescue.
The crash happened around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in southwest Houston. According to police, a red Chevy Camaro was apparently speeding down the street when the driver, a 20-year-old man, lost control and struck the curb. The car spun around and the passenger side slammed into a tree in the median.
The impact was so severe, it split the car in two and caused the vehicle to burst into flames.
Officers arrived at the scene to find the distraught driver attempting to free the woman from the wreckage.
"He was extremely hysterical and attempting to get the passenger out of the car and asking for help," Houston Police Sgt. Dionne Griffiths told KRIV.
Officers attempted to extinguish the fire and pull the woman out, but fireworks in the trunk started going off, creating a "catastrophic scene," KPRC reported.
The victim has not been publicly identified. She died at the scene.
Police say the driver was not impaired at the time. He was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
No charges have been filed as the crash remains under investigation.