STUDIO CITY—Early on the morning of Sunday, September 9, the Los Angeles Fire Department was alerted to a traffic collision resulting in a fire at 11412 Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. Los Angeles firefighters quickly arrived on the scene to find a car engulfed in flames, threatening at least one nearby business.

Witnesses say that the full sized sedan left the roadway, struck a tree and ruptured a natural gas line as it came to rest against the wall of a nearby restaurant. The vehicle was instantly consumed by flames, burning the two people within, and another who was partially out of the car. Out of reach of medical help, the three tragically were declared dead at the scene of the accident.

The combined effort of 52 firefighters extinguished the flames in just 23 minutes, however, Los Angeles Fire Department crews spent several hours at the scene of the accident minimizing the damage to the nearby restaurant, before assisting the coroner’s staff with the removal of the deceased.

The identification of those who sadly passed in the accident (including age and gender), as well as the precise cause, time and manner of their deaths will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.

No other injuries were reported, and no damage estimate for the structure was immediately available.

The accident remains under investigation by Los Angeles Police officials.

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