OSHTEMO, Mich. — Two people died when the vehicle they were in hit a tree and burst into flames on W. G Avenue west of 6th Street Tuesday morning.
The crash took place around 6:40 a.m.
The minivan was driven by a woman with a male passenger, but the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department did not say how old the victims were. They were expected to be identified around 4 p.m. Tuesday after notification of family, which the department said was extensive.
The undersheriff on the scene said the minivan was travelling too fast for weather conditions. One driver who claimed to be going 35 mph said the minivan passed and slammed into a tree.
Two neighbors tried to put out the resulting fire using extinguishers. One of the neighbors said a firefighter broke a window on the minivan, determined the driver was dead, and had to back off due to the fire.
Heritage Christian Academy sent students home early Tuesday following the accident. It was unclear what involvement the crash victims had with the school, but grief counselors will be on hand Wednesday.
(On scene reporting by Nicole DiDonato, FOX 17)
