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Young child dies in fiery accident near Lake Parker in Lakeland

A young child died in a serious car accident near Lake Parker in Lakeland on Thursday afternoon.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said a 30-year-old Winter Haven man with his two young children was driving a white Kia sedan west on Broadway Street approaching Lake Parker Drive East. The driver ran through the intersection and crashed into a tree near the lake, causing the car to catch fire.

The sheriff's office said the driver and a witness tried to pull the two children from the back seat of the car. One was successfully removed, but the other child died in the fire.

The father and surviving child were taken to the hospital to be treated for their injuries. The witness who helped at the scene of the accident was also taken to hospital for burns.

PCSO's Traffic Homicide Unit investigators respond to all fatal crashes. They're investigating the crash.