car crash

2 Killed When Antique Car Smashes Into Tree, Bursts Into Flames

Cellphone video shows neighbors using garden hoses to try to extinguish the flames

A man and woman riding in a Ford Model A were killed when the antique car smashed into a tree in Temple City and burst into flames, firefighters said.

The crash took place just before 7 p.m. Monday at the corner of Broadway and Temple City Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies said.

Cellphone video taken by a witness shows neighbors using garden hoses to try to extinguish the fire. Other neighbors watched helplessly as the car became engulfed in flames.

"Everything was up in smoke. You couldn't see anything, you just knew that this tree was burning," said neighbor Rodger Shlam.

Some people that gathered at the crash site began calling people they knew with Model A cars. Temple City has a tight community of car enthusiasts.

"They're probably from this area, too," said Shlam of the victims. "Just taking a cruise."

Deputies believe the man and woman died on impact.

The intersection was closed for several hours while deputies investigated the cause of the crash. Depending on the year the car was manufactured, the gas tank may have been located in the front of the car.

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