OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Police are investigating a fiery two-vehicle crash early Friday morning that left three people dead, including two children.

Omaha police said in an update Friday afternoon that they are investigating whether speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.

Emergency crews were called to the crash near Gene Leahy Mall at 10th and Douglas Streets around 1:20 a.m. Friday.

According to police’s afternoon update, a man in a 2017 Subaru Outback had just turned left from 10th Street onto Douglas Street when he was struck from behind by a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

As a result of the impact, the Jeep struck a tree and rolled; and the Subaru struck a light pole.

“Both cars caught fire and became engulfed in flames,” the OPD report said.

Three occupants of the Jeep were injured: the 33-year-old driver, the 38-year-old man in the passenger seat and a child in the vehicle were taken to Nebraska Medicine for treatment. Police say they have since been transferred to a specialized burn unit in another state.

Police said two children in the Jeep and the driver of the Subaru died at the scene.

On Friday evening, loved ones gathered at the crash site for a candlelight vigil.

Although police have not identified the murdered children, a family friend told 6 News they were two weeks old and five years old.

Many at the vigil are part of the Native American community. They said they believe it is important to stick together when hard times come.

“This is a tragedy, what happened. If it’s someone you know and how bad it was, it affects everyone,” said Elizabeth Parker, a family friend and organizer of the vigil.

Crash investigators are consulting with the Douglas County Attorney’s Office about pending charges against the Jeep driver.

The eastbound ramp at 10th Street to I-480 was closed for nearly seven hours Friday after the crash.

OPD Lieutenant Danny Flynn told 6 news that scenes like this are always difficult to deal with, but even more difficult when children are involved.

“It gets emotional. We all have families; we all have brothers, sisters, parents. It’s hard for everyone,” he said. “The Omaha Police Department has a peer support unit that our department has implemented over the past several years; and any kind of critical incident we have people contacting the officers – make sure they’re doing well, see how they’re handling things.

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