2 children in critical condition after fatal SE Houston crash

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Police are investigating a fatal crash in southeast Houston that left two young children in critical condition and injured two others.

It happened around 3 p.m. at 10501 Murr Way near Cullen Boulevard, according to police.

Police say the driver of a red vehicle crashed into a tree. The driver was pinned inside and died, according to investigators.

Police told ABC13 two out of the four children who were inside the vehicle are in critical condition at Texas Children's Hospital. They say none of the children had seat belts on. When officers arrived, two of the children were unconscious and the other two were in severe pain.

The children are believed to be between the ages of 5 and 10 years old. Their relationship to the driver was not immediately released.

Bystanders were able to break windows and pry open doors to get the children out as the vehicle was smoking.

"We were trying to just keep them calm, we were trying not to move them too much," said Robert Garcia, who was one of the people who helped. "Since the car started smoking, we were afraid that it was going to catch on fire. Me and the other two guys went ahead and tried to pry open [the door]. Once we got the driver side door open, we tried moving [the driver] back, but we couldn't. It was just jammed."