Four killed in high-speed crash

Speeding BMW slammed into a sign pole on 710 Freeway early Wednesday.

Four men were killed in a high-speed crash on the 710 Freeway that left their vehicle wrapped around a pole forced the closure of two northbound lanes in South Gate early Wednesday.

The crash was reported about 3:15 a.m. when a speeding BMW sedan slammed into a freeway sign support pole on the right shoulder near Firestone Boulevard, said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Jason Lopez.

“We can confidently say that speed played a factor in this collision,” Lopez told reporters at the scene.

The four men, who have not been identified, died at the scene, according to a Los Angeles County Fire Department representative. Video shows at least six firefighters working in the dark to extract people from the mangled vehicle.

One lane remained closed as of midday.

Lopez said officials reand ceived reports the vehicle may have been racing but have not found evidence to support that theory. However, the length of skid marks left on the roadway indicate the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed, he said.

“We have a lot of leads to go off of to see if there was indeed some racing prior to the collision, but right now, that’s all speculative,” he said.

KTLA FIREFIGHTERS had to extract victims from the mangled wreck of a BMW sedan after a crash left it wrapped around a pole on the 710 Freeway in a predawn crash. The four men died at the scene, officials said.