Three killed in horrific fireball crash where car ploughed into Warburtons lorry 'during high-speed late night race': Two other drivers arrested for dangerous driving

This is all that remains of a high-performance car after it crashed into a lorry and erupted into a fireball, killing the three men inside.

Such was the intensity of the blaze that the car was reduced to this lump of molten metal.
Police are investigating whether the car was racing a Vauxhall Astra, when the crash happened in the early hours of yesterday on London’s North Circular near Arnos Grove.

The two men in the Astra were later arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Eyewitnesses told how they tried to reach the men in the Subaru Impreza as it was consumed by flames, but were beaten back by the intense heat.
Last night there were suggestions the Impreza may have been fitted with a nitrous oxide kit to make it go faster, a modification used by some of the cars in the Fast And Furious film series.
Paul Walker, star of the films, was killed in a high-speed car crash in Los Angeles last month.

Two of the dead men were understood to be in their early twenties, while the third man is said to be in his early thirties.
The three victims are thought to have all been men.
A second car, a Vauxhall Astra, was also involved in the crash and two men have been taken to hospital with minor injuries. 
One was discharged and then arrested. The second was also arrested but remains in hospital. The lorry driver also received minor injuries

According to some reports, the car may have been fitted with a nitrous oxide kit to make it go faster - in the style of the cars in The Fast and The Furious.
Police said this afternoon they are having difficulty formally identifying the three people killed due to the nature of their injuries.
They believe they know the identities of the deceased but cannot issue details until they have confirmation.
Only then after next of kin have been told will they release the names and ages of the three.

 

Neos Sofianou, 72, who lives opposite the scene, said the road has been long-plagued by boy-racers speeding down the road at speeds of 100mph. 
Describing the crash Mr Sofianou said: 'I had been in bed and when I heard a really loud band and thought it must be the cars crashing.

'I ran to see what was happening and when I saw the car was on fire I tried to help with fire extinguishers.
'But we couldn’t get close enough to the car because of the flames and it was just so hot. It really was a terrible sight because we knew they were in the car and knew they were burning.

 

'Two cars were racing. One hit the other, which hit the curb of the central reservation and it went over to the other side of the road.

'A lorry was coming in the opposite direction and it hit the car head to head before it went up in flames. We had to wait for the emergency services to arrive because we just couldn’t do anything.
'The impact of the head-on collision with the lorry caused the car to be crushed to a quarter of its size, and then it was surrounded in hot, orange flames. I have never seen anything like it before.
'It made me jump when I heard the impact, but I knew it would have been the cars we heard racing.
'It was not a pretty sight and is such a waste of life. I feel bad for the families, especially this close to Christmas. It’s lucky that no one was standing at the bus stop.'

He added: 'We have this problem every night with boy-racers. My son called the police even before the impact - he heard the screeching of the brakes and the engines revving and the cars racing.

'I have complained many times about this racing and have suggested a speed limit or cameras but nobody listens.
'Every night they are here doing 80, 90, 100 miles and hour. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened.
'The road was supposed to be improved to accommodate more cars, but this has just caused more problems.

Mr Sofianou’s son Marios, 47, who was visiting his parents from Cyprus, said: 'There were at least two cars that were racing, three guys in one and I think one guy in the other car.

'Then the car on the outer lane hit the middle, flew over the barrier and hit a lorry. One car came up here unharmed.
'We had to watch the three of them burn, it was horrible.'
A local businessman has written to transport bosses warning them of speeding drivers on the stretch of road where three men were killed in a crash last night.
Harry Frang, who runs the Take @ Break cafe opposite the bus stop that the lorry crashed into, said he had written to Boris Johnson and TfL warning them of the perils of the road.
He said: 'I have sent letters from solicitors to Boris Johnson and TfL telling them about this racing and asking them to do something, but nobody listens and they think I'm mad.

'All the time there are boys in their cars and on motorbikes speeding past here, sometime more than 100 miles an hour.

'I told Boris Johnson and TfL it was a death trap. There have been other crashes here before but nothing this serious or horrible - maybe now somebody will listen to me.'

Mr Frang added: 'They have moved the bollards that were outside and if the bus stop hadn't been there the cars and lorry would have come straight into my shop.
'It's just not safe enough and they drive so fast. All they need is a speed camera to slow people down. The changes to the roads have only made it worse between the two sets of traffic lights.'
Some witnesses are reported to have suggested the car was equipped with a nitrous oxide kit.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent in engines.
It increases the internal combustion in an engine by allowing more fuel to be burned that normal by introducing more oxygen.
Usually a kit, which can be bought online or through specialists, improves power by 30 - 50 per cent and costs around £400 to install.
It is perfectly legal to drive cars with nitrous fitted - but many conventional insurers will not cover cars that have the modification.
Investigators are examining the scene. The road was closed west-bound until 8am and eastbound until 9.

The Metropolitan Police said: 'Reports suggest that the Subaru was traveling westbound and hit the central reservation before colliding with the lorry travelling eastbound. The car then caught fire.
'Officers believe that three people have died. All were in the Subaru Impreza.

'A Vauxhall Astra was also involved in the collision. Two men have been taken to hospital suffering from minor injuries. Next of kin have yet to be informed.
'One [A] was subsequently discharged and then arrested; the second [B] was arrested but remains in hospital at this time. Both were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
'The driver of the lorry only suffered minor injuries.
'A complex examination of the scene is underway and both lanes are closed. The road will remain closed for the morning's rush hour and drivers are advised to take alternative routes.