Six killed after speeding car runs red light in Los Angeles

SIX people including a pregnant woman were killed when a speeding car smashed into oncoming traffic in Los Angeles, in scenes that have been likened to a “war zone”.

Video footage showed the moment a Mercedes ploughed through a red light at a junction in the city’s Windsor Hills district before striking multiple cars.

Vehicles can be seen exploding and skidding across an intersection before smashing into a petrol station.

It is understood that a three-year-old was among those killed in the incident, which happened at about 1.40pm on Thursday. A further nine people were injured, including six children.

The female Mercedes driver sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital where she is speaking to investigators.

One woman, whose car was hit as she left the petrol station, told the Los Angeles Times: “I was getting out, had got gas. All of a sudden, that Mercedes is coming at me on fire. I didn’t have any time to think about it. It hit my car. I veered, hit the bench on the side.”

Another onlooker told ABC 7 that “it looked like the whole intersection from corner to corner was on fire”.

“A lot of sparks and electricity,” they said. “At first I thought they dropped a bomb on us. I thought another world war had started. Then I realized it was a car into the sign. Once the fire went away and the booming left, I realised it was two cars there. You could see the people on fire and that’s just sad.

“I really pray for the people and the community.”

California Highway Patrol described the scene as “a war zone”.

Investigators said it was not immediately clear why the Mercedes driver was speeding and did not stop.