Two Killed in Prince George's County When Car Hits Tree, Then Splits in Two

Two people were killed yesterday evening in Prince George's County when a car smashed into a tree and split in two. One half of the car burst into flames with a victim still inside, authorities said.

"I knew it was bad because of the sound," said Doris Gamble, who lives in a Largo neighborhood near the crash site at Harry S. Truman and New Orchard drives.

"We heard the screech and then the bang and then the explosion, and [we] looked up and it was all in flames," said Anita Robinson, an area resident. "It was awful."

She said the explosion after the 6:30 p.m. crash "rocked the house."

The back of the vehicle, which police described as a sport-utility vehicle, was wrapped around the tree that it struck, said county fire department spokesman Mark Brady. He said one of those killed was trapped inside when the fire broke out.

Neighbors tried to extricate the victim, area residents said. "As they tried to get him out, the car started sparking and then blew up," said one neighbor.

The front of the vehicle traveled for about 150 feet, Brady said. Another area resident, Stuart Fisk Johnson, said it, too, hit a tree.

The second victim, a man, was ejected during the crash, Brady said. Neither victim was immediately identified.