Car crashes into house: Reports: Anne Heche in critical condition

Several media report unanimously that Anne Heche had an accident at the wheel.

Car crashes into house: Reports: Anne Heche in critical condition

Several media report unanimously that Anne Heche had an accident at the wheel. Her car crashed into a building and caught fire. The actress is said to be in critical condition.

The US actress Anne Heche (53, "Ally McBeal", "Six Days, Seven Nights") is said to have been seriously injured in a car accident, according to US media. According to "TMZ.com", the 53-year-old was taken to a hospital with burns. In the accident on Friday in Los Angeles, Heche is said to have crashed into an apartment building, and the building and her vehicle caught fire. CNN also reports on the accident. A person familiar with the matter has confirmed that the driver is Heche, the US broadcaster said.

A police spokesman confirmed to CNN that a car was traveling at high speed when it went off the road and crashed into the building. The driver suffered severe burns and is in critical condition. However, he did not say who it was. So far, nothing is known about possible further injuries.

The "Los Angeles Times", citing authorities, writes that the actress was reported as the owner of the accident car. Heche's management has not yet responded to a request from the German Press Agency.

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) confirmed an accident in the Mar Vista neighborhood with severe fire damage. In video showing dramatic scenes from the scene of the accident, an LAFD spokesman said 59 firefighters were on duty to put out the blaze. The vehicle crashed into a house at high speed and only came to a stop after almost ten meters. The driver was rescued in critical condition and taken to a hospital. She was able to speak to the rescuers. A person who was in the back of the house was therefore unharmed. According to eyewitness reports, Heche first rammed a garage wall in the residential area and drove off at high speed before smashing into the apartment building, TMZ.com reported.

A mother of two, Heche is known for roles in films such as Donnie Brasco, Six Days Seven Nights, Wag the Dog and Volcano. TV viewers know her from series like "Ally McBeal" and "Nip/Tuck". Her marriage to cinematographer Coley Laffoon ended in divorce in 2009. Prior to her marriage, Heche dated talk show host Ellen DeGeneres at times.