HYATTSVILLE — (CNN) A fiery wreck involving a church van and two other vehicles killed four people in Maryland over the weekend, authorities said.
Fatalities in the Sunday crash in Hyattsville included a child, according to the Prince George’s County Fire Department.
An additional eight adults and six children were hospitalized, authorities said.
The accident started when a pickup truck hit another vehicle — then kept moving with its tire ablaze, CNN affiliate WJLA reported, citing witnesses.
“We heard a boom loud noise — came outside and saw flames about 20 feet high,” Robert Rhodes said.
The truck then rammed into the 15-passenger van and exploded, according to the affiliate. Residents dashed out of nearby homes to help extinguish the flames.
“Regular people were running out of houses … the guy in front of the crash came out with a water hose,” witness L’Shauntee Robertson told WJLA. “People were coming with fire extinguishers, putting the fire out.”
Aniquia Hemphill said during the mayhem, someone handed her an injured baby.
“She had a burn on her face … I started saying John 3:16 to her and that calmed her down from crying,” she said, referring to a verse from the Bible.
Authorities did not release the victims’ identities.
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