Two women die heroes trying to help stranger at accident scene

Two women were electrocuted as they ran to the aid of a driver who had crashed into a fire hydrant in Los Angeles.

ABC News reported two women were in the Valley Village neighborhood on Wednesday night when an SUV lost control and hit a hydrant.

Police said water shot into the air, quickly pooling in the street, and it became electrified by the power line.

The Los Angeles Times reported Irma Zamora, 40, and her husband saw the accident and pulled over.

As Mr Zamora called 911, his wife jumped out and rushed to help, despite her husband telling her to stay back.

Police said she stepped into an electrified pool of water and was mmediately –- and fatally — electrocuted, struck by what firefighters estimate was 48,000 volts of electricity.

A second woman went to help her and when she touched Zamora, she was killed also. The name of the second woman has not been released.

“They did what good Samaritans have done in this community many times,” Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said at a news conference.

ABC News said LAPD investigators cited excessive speed as a likely factor in the crash. 

The case will be forwarded to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, which will decide whether to file charges against the driver.