Five killed in early morning accident in Queens (UPDATE)

Update

Authorities said the five victims who were killed in a single vehicle accident early this morning were leaving a Nigerian heritage celebration at the Golden Terrace banquet hall on Atlantic Avenue in Richmond Hill, Queens.

One of the deceased was identified as 57-year-old Nnenna Obioha, of Michigan, who relatives said was the founding president of Arondizuogu Daughters Association, a group for immigrants from the Nigerian town of Arondizuogu.  Reports say she had held organized the two day event, which started on Friday.

Original story

Authorities in New York City said five people, including an 8-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy, were killed in an early morning single vehicle accident in Queens.

The accident occurred around 3:15 a.m. Sunday on Atlantic Avenue.

Witnesses said a black Mercedes Benz SUV was traveling on Atlantic Avenue east of the Van Wyck Expressway when the driver ran a couple of red lights and hit a concrete pillar.

The vehicle flipped and then rolled over ejecting four of eight people inside the vehicle.  It then went up in flames.

After firefighters put out the flames they found the bodies of two children and three women.

The 45-year-old driver, her 7-year-old son and a 26-year-old man were taken to Jamaica Hospital in stable condition.

Police are investigating whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the accident.