On Thursday, July 13, 2006 at 1:56 a.m., two Companies of Los Angeles firefighters, two LAFD rescue ambulances and one EMS battalion captain responded to a civilian fatality traffic collision involving fire near the intersection of Sherman Way and Hayvenhurst Avenue in Van Nuys.

Firefighters and paramedics arrived quickly to discover an apparently eastbound dark-colored compact sedan which had left the roadway and traveled up a 45-degree embankment before colliding with a bridge abutment at the west portal of the Sherman Way underpass at Van Nuys Airport.

The heavily damaged vehicle was fully ablaze on firefighters arrival. Despite the LAFD's quick response and extinguishment of the flames, the vehicle's two occupants were deceased at the scene. Due to burn and traumatic injury, the age and gender of the decedents could not be immediately determined.

No other injuries were reported, and there was no impact on airport operations.

A positive identification of the deceased, as well as the cause, time and manner of their deaths will be determined by coroner's officials.

The cause and circumstances of the collision remain under active investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.