2 dead after fiery, wrong-way crash involving stolen car in Chicago, police say

Two people are dead and several others injured, including multiple children, after a stolen vehicle going the wrong way collided with seven other vehicles before bursting into flames in Chicago on Wednesday, police said.

The fiery crash unfolded at around 5 p.m., the Chicago Police Department said in a news release late Wednesday. A Dodge Charger that had been reported stolen earlier in the day was traveling northbound in a southbound lane at a high speed when it reached an intersection, police said.

The Charger collided with at least seven different vehicles within the intersection before coming to a stop on a nearby corner, where it burst into flames.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze and the two occupants of the vehicle were found dead inside. Police have yet to identify the two people who died. They said a firearm was also recovered from inside the car.

At least 11 others were affected by the crash, with most taken to the hospital following the incident. Those injured, including the children, were in a "fair" or "good" condition as of Wednesday evening, police said.

The Chicago Police Department’s major accidents unit is investigating the deadly crash.

"This is something we can control: Take your foot off the gas," Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said during a news conference following the crash, according to NBC Chicago.

"This is something we’re going to have to address on a citywide basis, and in the meantime, if people don’t have respect for themselves or others … we’re going to have more tragedies," Lightfoot said.

The mayor said the scene of the crash made her "heart sick."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com