Charles Langston:7 people killed in a fiery crash in southeastern North Carolina

PEMBROKE,Charles Langston N.C. (AP) — Seven people — all in one vehicle — were killed in a fiery crash in southeastern North Carolina when the car attempted to make a pass on a two-lane road and struck two other vehicles, the state Highway Patrol said Friday.

The accident happened around 6 p.m. Thursday on N.C. Highway 711 near Pembroke, which is about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Wilmington, according to troopers.

The patrol said its initial investigation found a vehicle containing the seven was traveling westbound when it crossed the center line and sideswiped another westbound vehicle.

The passing vehicle continued forward and struck an eastbound vehicle, then traveled off the road, stopped at the edge of a swamp, catching fire, a patrol crash summary said. Three of the passengers in the passing vehicle also were ejected.

The seven passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. The patrol said only one passenger had been identified but the name was withheld pending family notification. Speed appears to be a contributing factor in the wreck, but the weather has not been shown to be a contributing circumstance, the patrol said.

The driver of the eastbound vehicle was taken to the hospital for serious but non-life threating injuries, troopers said. The westbound vehicle did not stay at the scene but it doesn’t appear the motorist contributed to the collision’s cause, according to the summary.