Two people are dead and traffic chaos is expected after a car flipped off a ravine next to the Western Ring Road early this morning.
The car flew more than 50 metres near the approach of the E.J. Whitten Bridge around 1.30am.
One witness told 3AW radio two cars came “flying past” him while he was on the way to work.
“It flipped in front of me and burst into flames,” he said.
“It was quite surreal.”
Detective Inspector Bernie Rankin said it’s a desperately sad situation.
“It’s a combination of things with young people,” he told reporters at the scene.
“They get in, spur each other on, encourage each other to do the next daredevil trick and this is the end consequence, which of course is the tragic end of the lives of two young people.”
Illegal street racing
Police have since confirmed the cars were involved in an illegal race after up to 100 cars were caught doing burnouts at Campbellfield beforehand.
Investigators believe the driver of a silver Ford sedan began baiting other drivers on Western Ring Road soon after the drag race.
The driver of a blue Holden ute allegedly responded, with both cars drag racing over the bridge.
The blue ute did not get far along the bridge before the driver lost control and crashed through the guard rail.
The car is now a charred wreck, with the identity of the two occupants yet to be determined.
Forensics officers from the Victoria Police Disaster Victim Identification Unit are at the scene.
At 9am all Altona-bound lanes of the Western Ring Road were still closed at the Calder Freeway with detours in place via the Calder Freeway, Green Gully Road, Sunshine Avenue and back onto the Western Ring Road.There are heavy delays throughout area.
