Fiery wrong-way crash leaves 2 dead on NB 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa, CHP says

COSTA MESA, Calif. (KABC) -- Two people were killed Sunday morning when a wrong-way driver collided with another vehicle on the northbound 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa, resulting in a fiery wreck, authorities said.

The California Highway Patrol responded about 4:09 a.m. to the crash near the Highway 55 interchange, according to an incident log.

The collision happened as a silver Ford Mustang was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes, a CHP spokesman said. The male driver of that vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene.

It was unclear if the other person, the occupant of an SUV, died at the crash site or a hospital.

Firefighters arrived at the location and extinguished a dramatic blaze caused by the incident, which left both vehicles charred and mangled.

Northbound traffic was slowed to a crawl following the closure of four lanes on that side of the freeway. The shutdown was expected to last until at least 8 a.m., the highway patrol said.