Two men were hospitalized in critical condition Monday morning after a driver lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a strip mall in Downey.

The crash occurred about 1:45 a.m. as the car was heading south on Paramount Boulevard at a high rate of speed, Downey Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike Whitney said.

The driver lost control and struck a tree near Telegraph Road before going airborne.

The car was sent crashing through a watch store, where it landed on its side and caught on fire.

Officers at the scene used fire extinguishers to fight the fire and managed to rescue two men by cutting their seatbelts, Whitney said.

The men, both in their 20s, were taken to local hospitals in critical condition. They were described as stable later in the morning.

Investigators do not believe any other vehicles were involved in the crash.

It was unclear if drugs or alcohol may have played a factor.