BMW bursts into flames after plunging off highway, Texas cops say

Two men are in critical condition after they crashed a car through a concrete barrier, plunged off the side of a highway and caught fire Tuesday night, Texas police say.

The BMW plummeted roughly 100 feet onto a service road below, KTRK reported.

The men were driving on an exit ramp near U.S. 59 around 10:55 p.m. when the crash occurred, a Houston Police Department spokesperson told McClatchy News.

While Houston police are handling the crash investigation, it was nearby officers with the METRO Police Department who witnessed the crash and were first on the scene.

“Seconds after a car plunged over the exit ramp and burst into flames, our officers raced to help,” MPD told McClatchy.

The first officer pulled one of the men from the burning BMW on his own as three more officers rushed to the wreckage moments later, according to MPD. The other occupant had been ejected from the vehicle and was carried to safety.

“We are extraordinarily proud of the dedication and hard work performed by members of the METRO Police Department,” the MPD said, adding that they wish the victims a “full and speedy recovery.”

Both the driver and passenger were taken to a hospital in critical condition.

Houston police are looking into the cause of the crash.

This story was originally published October 6, 2021 at 3:39 PM with the headline "BMW bursts into flames after plunging off highway, Texas cops say."