Passenger killed when car full of fireworks slams into tree, catches fire, TX cops say

Police responded to a chaotic scene when a car loaded with fireworks crashed and caught fire with a woman trapped inside, Texas officials told news outlets.

Witnesses say a Chevy Camaro came speeding down a street on Houston’s southwest side at about 10:30 p.m. Oct. 3 and slammed into a tree in front of Louie Welch Middle School, Houston police told KRIV.

A man driving the car was able to get to safety, but a woman in her 20s was still in the passenger seat as the vehicle burst into flames, the station reported.

Police tried to extinguish the fire so they could rescue the woman, but flames quickly reached fireworks packed in the trunk, setting off a chain of explosions, KPRC reported.

“I started hearing explosions. I thought, is that shotgun shots? Or is it firecrackers going off? It sounded like Roman candles,” witness William Young told the outlet. “It was just like a BOOM, explosion. Like a deep explosion.”

For their own safety, police moved away from the car, KHOU reported.

The woman died in the blaze, police told the station, though the man who was with her is OK.

An investigation is underway.

This story was originally published October 4, 2023 at 8:37 AM with the headline "Passenger killed when car full of fireworks slams into tree, catches fire, TX cops say."