WPRO News and The Associated Press

Three people died in a fiery car crash on a Rhode Island highway early Tuesday morning, state police said.

Troopers responded to the scene of the single-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 in West Warwick just before 2 a.m., police said.

According to the investigation, the sedan was traveling south at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control, veered off the road and onto the grass shoulder, struck a tree and burst into flames.

“There was a witness in another vehicle who made an approximate speed of the vehicle at over 100 miles an hour,” said State Police Captain Ernest McKenney.

After the West Warwick Fire Department extinguished the flames, troopers located the driver and two passengers inside the vehicle. They were all pronounced dead at the scene.

Due to nature of their injuries, police could not make positive identifications of the victims.

All three occupants were taken to the state medical examiner’s office for confirmation of identification through dental records. Results are expected by the end of the week, police said.

“We have a pretty good idea who was occupying the vehicle. At this time we are going to wait and hold off until we get 100 percent confirmation on their identity from the medical examiner’s office,” McKenney said.

Police are asking witnesses to contact state police at the Wickford barracks by calling 401-444-1064.