Actor Paul Walker dies

Actor Paul Walker, 40, of Fast & Furious fame, died in a fiery car crash yesterday afternoon after his friend lost control of the Porsche GT he was driving and crashed into a street light pole, in Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles. Walker's passing was confirmed on his official Facebook page and also by the actor's representatives.

The Los Angeles Sherrif's Department confirmed that at around 3:30pm on Saturday two men lost their lives in a high-speed car crash after their vehicle spun out of control. Walker was riding passenger after attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide. The actor was in Los Angeles to participate in a car show to support the Philippines typhoon relief effort.

As an investor in the Always Evolving auto shop in Valencia, California, Walker and his yet unnamed friend went out in a Porsche GT but the driver allegedly lost control and spun into a light pole. The wrecked vehicle burst into flames with debris spreading over a large area. The two men were trapped in the crash and rescue attempts by passers by and friends were futile. Photos from the scene show a pile of twisted metal and broken windows.

The actor Paul Walker is survived by a 15-year-old daughter.

The actor was the son of a fashion model and a sewer contractor. Growing up in a working class, Mormon Los Angeles household, Walker was the oldest of five siblings. His mother took him to auditions as a toddler and he turned child model when only two-years old. The actor made his feature film debut in the 1998 comedy Meet The Deedles. Following his performance in the 2000 thriller The Skulls, producer Neal H Moritz, cast him in The Fast And The Furious as undercover police officer Brian O'Conner. The sixth instalment of the Fast & Furious series grossed over $788 million worldwide, with the seventh chapter expected to hit theatres next July.