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2 Killed After Corvette Slams Into Gardena Building

GARDENA (CBSLA) — Two men who were killed in a fiery wreck after the Chevrolet Corvette they were in jumped a curb Wednesday night, hit a power pole and crashed into a Gardena building.

The crash was reported at about 8:15 p.m., after the Corvette jumped a curb, hit a pole, and crashed into a commercial building and burst into flames near the intersection of Crenshaw and West El Segundo Boulevard. The crash and fire left the Corvette twisted and unrecognizable.

Jose Padilla of Hawthorne was ejected from the sports car and pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The name of the passenger was withheld, pending family notification, according to coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter.

The two men appeared to have been killed by the impact of the crash, and not the fire, a fire department dispatcher said.

Contrary to initial reports that the car may have been involved in a street race, police now say it appears no other vehicles were involved.

A bystander said he and others had tried to rescue the men inside the burning Corvette, but were forced away due to explosions coming from the car.

Police say speed was definitely a factor in the crash.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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