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

Omaha police said Friday afternoon that they were investigating whether speed and alcohol played a role in the crash.

Around 1:20 a.m. Friday, emergency responders were called to the accident near the Gene Leahy Mall at 10th and Douglas streets.

According to police this afternoon, a man in a 2017 Subaru Outback was turning left from 10th Street onto Douglas Street when he was struck by a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The impact caused the Jeep to hit a tree and roll; and the Subaru crashed into a light pole.

“Both cars caught fire and burst into flames,” the OPD report states.

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 taken 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, relatives gathered at the scene of the accident for a candlelight vigil.

Although police have not identified the children killed, a family friend told 6 News they were two-week-old and five-year-old children.

Many of the vigils are part of the Native American community. They said it was important for them to stick together when difficult times came.

“It’s a tragedy what happened. When it’s someone you know and they know how bad it was, it affects everyone,” said Elizabeth Parker, a family friend and vigil organizer.

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

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

OPD Lt. 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 difficult for everyone,” he said. “The Omaha Police Department has a peer support unit that our department has established over the past few years. And any critical incident, we have people talking to the officers — make sure they’re OK, see how they’re handling things.”

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