GORMAN, Calif. (AP) — A fiery minivan wreck killed two mothers and their four children early Tuesday on a highway in northern Los Angeles County, authorities said.

Two men were injured trying to save their families on Interstate 5, about 65 miles north of downtown Los Angeles.

The minivan got in a minor collision and stopped on the shoulder. It was still partially in a lane when a semitrailer hit it and it burst into flames with the women and children inside, California Highway Patrol Officer Monica Posada told the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/295P29Z ).

CHP Officer Dan Williams and a partner arrived soon after the crash near the community of Gorman in Tejon Pass.

"We saw the van starting to catch fire. We saw the husbands come running up to us, told us their families were in the vehicle still," Williams told Los Angeles news station KABC-TV (http://bit.ly/290xtTV ).

He said his partner tried to get through a door, but "the flames came at him, he had to back out. I grabbed the fire extinguisher ... but we were unable to assist in getting anyone out of the van."

The two men were taken to a hospital for treatment.