A fiery, wrong-way crash on the southbound 605 Freeway in Cerritos early today left two motorists dead.

The collision, which was reported about 2:20 a.m. south of Studebaker Road, involved a 2021 Hyundai Elantra and a 2017 Honda Civic, according to the California Highway Patrol.

“A witness observed the driver of the Hyundai make a U-turn, for no apparent reason, from the right shoulder of the freeway and travel the wrong direction,” according to the CHP. “The driver of the Hyundai proceeded northbound within the southbound number one lane of Interstate 605.”

CHP officials said the Honda driver was heading south in the same lane and collided head-on with the Hyundai, and both vehicles were engulfed inflames.

The man driving the Hyundai was trapped in his car and died at the scene, according to the CHP.

The woman driving the Honda was pulled from the vehicle by a good Samaritan, but she also died, officials said.

Authorities withheld the name of the man, who was from Los Angeles, and the woman, who was from Lancaster, pending notification of their relatives. A CHP spokesman at the scene said the woman was in her late 30s.

The southbound freeway was closed for several hours while an investigation was conducted. Anyone with information on the case was urged to call the CHP Santa Fe Springs Area office at 562-868-0503.

Editor’s note: This story was updated with more information from the CHP.