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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Charlie Jones

Camp Pendleton crash: Car bursts into flames after ramming into military base gates

Dramatic footage shows a car erupt into a fireball after trying to ram its way onto a military base.

A video, shot by a motorist passing the scene, shows a car wrecked on anti-vehicle protection outside Camp Pendleton, a United States Marine Corps base in California, US.

A spokesperson for the base later confirmed a car had tried to "gain unauthorised access to the installation" but was disabled on the anti-vehicle barriers.

The incident happened at around 6.30pm on Saturday January 28.

The gate was temporarily out of action with traffic diverted to an alternative gate but it has been reopened since.

The main entrance to Camp Pendleton (Getty Images)

It hasn't yet been revealed who was driving the car or why they were trying to get onto the base. Camp Pendleton has not yet released any more information.

According to the update from the camp: "The MCB Camp Pendleton Provost Marshall Office deployed the final denial barriers and disabled the vehicle."

The footage shows the front of the car with significant damage to it with wreckage strewn around the crash site.

The passenger door of the car is open and the entire bonnet of the car is ablaze.

A pillar of smoke extends above the wreckage and inside the car is also filled with smoke.

The Mirror have contacted the USMC for more information on the incident, including whether any arrests have been made.

The base was established to train US Marines for World War II but later became a permanent training base.

It is the home of the 1st Marine Division.

Car bursts into flames after trying to ram through Army base gates (ABC7)

In a separate incident, a British teenage Islamic State fanatic has admitted a plot to attack police officers or soldiers and has been accused of carrying out surveillance at an Army barracks.

He also had expressed a desire to “torture, mutilate and kill military personnel”.

Matthew King, 19, was alleged to have carried out surveillance at police stations, railway stations, a magistrates’ court and a British Army barracks in Stratford and was thought to be targeting police officers or military personnel for a potential knife attack.

Marines on alert at the main gate to Camp Pendleton in north San Diego County (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

King also spoke of his desire to travel to Syria to join Islamic State, bought “tactical gloves” and goggles and registered with an online knife retailer, according to court documents.

At a hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday, King, from Wickford in Essex, pleaded guilty to preparation of terrorist acts between December 22, 2021 and May 17, 2022.

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