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Three young women ages 23 to 25 have been identified as the victims of a fiery single-vehicle crash on Long Island.
The crash took place around 11 p.m., Monday, July 8 in Mount Sinai when the 2010 black Jeep Liberty they were riding in left the roadway and hit a utility pole, causing it to fall on the driver's side, said the Suffolk County Police.
The SUV was traveling northbound on Mount Sinai-Coram Road, north of Hamlet Drive, when it left the roadway, crashed into the pole and immediately burst into flames, Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives determined.
When the pole collapsed, it covered the vehicle in live electrical wires, making it impossible to escape or for bystanders to help.
A retired NYFD firefighter stopped at the scene and worked to rescue the three women, but was unable to reach them due to the conditions, police said.
Neighbors reportedly said the women were screaming for help.
Police don't believe the vehicle was driving erratically or speeding due to witness accounts.
They also said drugs or alcohol don't appear to be a factor at this time in the investigation. Detectives are checking cell phone records to see if they were being used at the time, police said.
The department is working with the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office to confirm the women's identities.
The roadway remains closed late Tuesday afternoon as workers repaired the pole and wires.
Detectives are asking anyone with information who may have witnessed the vehicle before the crash to contact the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652 of Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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