At least four people died when a wrong-way driver caused a pileup involving several vehicles on the 71 Freeway in Chino Hills early Sunday morning, officials said.
The crash happened around 2:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes near the Central Avenue exits.
According to CHP, several people called 911 to report a driver traveling northbound in the southbound lanes. The collision, involving four to five vehicles, occurred moments later, officers told news photographers at the scene.
CHP said a sergeant who was first to arrive on the scene tried to rescue several people trapped inside a burning white sedan, but they were forced to back away because of the intense flames.
Four people inside that vehicle were later pronounced dead. Another person was transported to a local hospital in an unknown condition.
Southbound lanes of the 71 Freeway were closed for the accident investigation.
CHP has not said which vehicle was traveling in the wrong direction or released any names.