Jan. 18--A horrific wreck claimed the lives of two females and two males this morning in Columbia.
The driver of a four-door car apparently lost control on George Rogers Boulevard just before 5 a.m., driving the car into the Farm Bureau Insurance Building, Columbia Police Department spokesman Jennifer Timmons said.
The car burst into flames, killing all four occupants, she said.
However, it could take another day or two to identify the victims because of the fire, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said. Autopsies were performed Wednesday afternoon, and the coroner's staff will use x-rays, DNA and other methods to identify the victims.
Assembly and Shop roads and George Rogers Boulevard were closed in a half-mile radius around the scene until nearly 9:45 a.m. as emergency responders and police investigators worked at the scene.
Police loaded the car's charred frame onto a trailer. A second trailer was used to haul burned pieces of metal that had fallen off the frame. The car appeared to be a Dodge with a Florida license plate.
Traffic officers are trying to determine which direction the car was traveling on George Rogers Boulevard and what caused the driver to lose control, Timmons said.
Police also were looking for security camera recordings in the area. The S.C. Highway Patrol is assisting with the investigation, Timmons said.
-- Noelle Phillips and Kelly Davis
Copyright 2012 - The State, Columbia, S.C.
