PHOENIX — Three people died Saturday night in Phoenix after their car caught fire in a traffic collision near 59th Avenue and Thomas Road.
The individuals were trapped inside a burning car and died before they could escape the vehicle, Phoenix police said.
Police said the other involved vehicle contained two male occupants, one of whom was taken to the hospital for critical injuries.
The collision occurred at about 10 p.m. near a local Jack in the Box restaurant. Police said the car with the two men hit the back of the pickup truck that later caught fire. Speed is believed to be a contributing factor.
Identities of the deceased have not yet been disclosed. Phoenix police are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading up to the collision.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12News YouTube playlist here.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
>> Live, local, breaking. Download the 12News app
How big is Maricopa County?:
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
