One Dead In Fiery Coral Springs Crash

FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - One person was killed in a fiery car crash in Coral Springs.

The accident happened around 10 p.m. on Coral Springs Drive.

Witnesses told police that a man was driving north on Coral Springs Drive, weaving between other vehicles at a high rate of speed, when he lost control and slammed into a tree in the median at 30th Street. The vehicle then burst into flames, the driver trapped inside.

Police have identified the driver as 31-year old Marquis Javon Mathews from Ft. Lauderdale.

Several good Samaritans and a Coral Springs police officer tried to put the fire out with hoses and fire extinguishers.

William Crowther was one of the first people to reach the car which was wrapped around the tree.

"I came out to the scene and tried to get the guy out," said Crowther. "Then the car started to burn and I was still trying to get it open. I was screaming for a tire iron to pry it open to try and get the guy out."

Crowther said they did everything they could before the fire department arrived.

"I told the kid 'Please go grab all the fire extinguishers you can get and lets try to get this fire out'. He brought the fire extinguishers over and we started to put the fire out. The police showed up and was doing the same."

Coral Springs police say while it was a good thing that several people tried to help, they put themselves in a very dangerous situation because of the fire and toxic fumes.

Crowther said it's human nature to want to help.

"Anybody always tries to help. You know if you see fire you try to put it out. If you see somebody in a car and they are hurt you are going to try and get them out. It's just normal human nature to help. It's not anything heroic it's just what you do. You don't want to see people die if you can save them."