Two people were injured Monday morning south of downtown Los Angeles when a car traveling the wrong way on a one-way street collided with a delivery truck carrying carbon dioxide, authorities said.
The fiery crash was reported about 3:30 a.m. in 1500 block of South Central Avenue. The driver of the car, identified only as a man in his 20s, was traveling about 70 mph the wrong way when he struck a dip and crashed into the truck, according to investigators.
Security camera video from a nearby business showed the Honda Accord become airborne through the intersection before landing in a shower of sparks. The truck driver saw the car speeding toward him and swerved in an effort to avoid the collision, investigators said.
The man who was driving the truck containing the non-flammable chemical was hospitalized in fair condition. The Honda driver was rescued and hospitalized in critical condition.
At least one witness can be seen on the security camera video running to help crash victims.
"I saw like an explosion, so I came this way and saw it was a car crash," said witness Josue Morales. "I ran to the car and saw someone was in the car. I was trying to help, you know, but it was too smashed, so I couldn't do anything."
Heat from the towering fire burned the exterior of a building.
