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Belt Parkway reopens in Queens after drivers suspected of racing crashed, 5 hospitalized

Belt Parkway reopens after drivers suspected of racing crashed
Belt Parkway reopens after drivers suspected of racing crashed 02:25

NEW YORK -- Five people were hospitalized Monday after four cars crashed on the Belt Parkway overnight.

All westbound lanes of the parkway near Kennedy Airport were closed. The lanes have since reopened, CBS2's John Dias reported. 

The crash happened near Exit 17 at around 1:30 a.m. Police believe the drivers of a BMW and an Infinity were speeding and possibly racing when they struck two other cars. One of the cars caught fire. 

A man who was one of the drivers suspected of speeding was in critical condition, police said. Two women, each in their 20s, have serious injuries.

The women were not believed to have been in the speeding cars, police said. 

Watch: Chopper 2 over Belt Parkway

Chopper 2 Flying

Chopper 2 is checking out stories around our area. Watch more local coverage on CBS News New York: http://cbsloc.al/cbsnnewyork

Posted by CBS New York on Monday, June 27, 2022

A good Samaritan jumped in to help before first responders arrived. 

"I heard a big collision. I actually helped one lady from the white car over here. I had to pull a little bit away because the car was on fire. And I had to make sure, I made sure she was awake and everything like that. But, it was just very devastating," he said. 

Crews were waiting for a tow truck to arrive to clear the crash. 

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