3 Die After Car Plunges Into A Creek In Long Island City

Three men died after speeding past a dead-end sign and falling into Newtown Creek in Queens Saturday morning.

The car, which was speeding down Borden Avenue in Long Island City, appeared to accelerate as it went past the dead-end sign, witnesses told CBS2. At the end of the road, the car hit a concrete barrier, which propelled it into the water below.

Bystanders called 911 at 4:40 a.m. Upon arriving at the scene, rescue divers pulled the men who had been trapped inside the car to shore.

"Within 10 minutes after that we had divers in the water and approximately 10 minutes after that, we recovered two victims and pulled them out of the water," Fred Mallett, deputy chief of the New York City Fire Department, said, adding that a third victim was involved in the accident.

Paramedics tried to revive the men by continuously performing chest compressions but they did not survive. Police are investigating how the car ended up in the creek and how fast the driver was going.

"Speed was a factor in the crash," a spokesperson from the New York Police Department said as per the New York Post.

Is possible that the driver of the car did not see the dead-end sign, according to witnesses.

Among the three victims were Luis Cuadros, 30, and budding rap artist Quameek Mack, 25.

The family of Mack described him as a hardworking and devoted family man, whose tragic demise left them devasted. Mack leaves behind two young children and a pregnant partner.

"It's real hard [sic] right now," Amir Aalaam, Mack's uncle, said. "My family is really hurting right now."

Meanwhile, Caudros' family in Elmhurst said he was married and was adored by all at the time of his death.

According to a witness, the area is popular among road maniacs as Exit 15, Van Dam Street is the last one before Midtown Tunnel tolls. However, there has been no indication from officials that the men were racing, the New York Post said.