2 killed after BMW smashes into fire hydrant and pole in West Hills

Two young men riding in a BMW were killed Sunday evening after their car struck another vehicle, sheared a fire hydrant and smashed into a power pole, authorities said.

The silver BMW was traveling east at high speed on Vanowen Street in West Hills about 6 p.m. when it collided with a gray Toyota Camry that was turning south from Vanowen onto Platt Avenue, according to LAPD Sgt. William Kelly.

The BMW struck the Camry’s front bumper before turning off the roadway into the fire hydrant. The crash destroyed the fire hydrant, and a three-story geyser of water erupted, Kelly said.

Downed power lines made the deadly scene more hazardous by electrifying the pool of water from the fire hydrant and delaying emergency workers, he said.

The BMW was split in half by the crash, and both men inside were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names were not released pending notification of their families.

The woman driving the Camry was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, police said.

Investigators were reviewing the crash and investigating whether each driver was criminally culpable. Kelly said the woman could have made an unsafe left turn across traffic, but the speed of the BMW could have made it difficult for her to judge whether she could safely turn.

“Both drivers’ actions are being evaluated,” Kelly said.

Also Sunday, a man crossing Lankershim Boulevard in Sun Valley was fatally struck by a pickup truck, Kelly said.

The man was crossing outside a crosswalk near Cantara Street about 7 p.m. when a white Chevrolet pickup truck smashed into him.

The female driver, who was heading south on Lankershim Boulevard, remained at the scene, Kelly said.

The pedestrian was the subject of an earlier radio call for being intoxicated or under the influence of an unknown substance, Kelly said. The man was considered at fault because he was not crossing in the crosswalk.

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

Twitter: @MattHjourno.