Two people are dead after an electric car crashed into a New York apartment building. The resulting inferno left them burnt beyond recognition.
The incident reportedly happened early Thursday morning. The driver lost control of their Tesla and careened onto the sidewalk before hitting a tree. The electric car then crashed into a building on Battle Avenue.
David Chong, the commissioner of public safety in White Plains, confirmed two people died.
"This was a big impact, so she was doing substantial speed," property owner Bob Kraus said of the driver. "Whether it was her fault or whether it was the car's fault, I'm not an investigator."
According to NBC, authorities managed to remove the burned electric car and put out the fires. Sadly, they could do nothing for the two people inside. Authorities confirmed that the pair were both dead and "burned beyond recognition."
EMS also treated two residents at the building for injuries. However, they appear to be minor injuries. Additionally, shrapnel injured a person near the crash. Authorities ended up transporting them to a nearby hospital.
Victims of Fatal Electric Car Crash
Authorities have since confirmed the identities of the deceased. 70-year-old Millie Ortize Sheehan and her daughter-in-law, Diana Trochez Sheehan, 36, both died in the electric car crash. Millie was married to Francis Sheehan. Meanwhile, her daughter-in-law was married to Francis Sheehan Jr.
The two had apparently just dropped off Diana's children at daycare. They were going down a hill when the crash happened. Authorities cannot confirm at this time what caused the electric car crash. They do not know if it was a technical or user error.
Ron Williams' family lives in the apartment where the crash happened.
"[My daughter] went to work just 15 minutes before and my grandson is in college, so thank God he wasn't there," Williams told local outlet News 12 Westchester.
Neighbors expressed sympathy for the deceased.
"It's just kind of scary to see what happened. We walk outside every day, we walk around, and just to see and hear what happened it's pretty sad," White Plains local Yesica Genis told the outlet.
