Dan Watson / Santa Clarita Valley Signal Firefighters hose down the remains of a red 2005 Porsche Carrera GT following a crash in Valencia, Calif., which killed actor Paul Walker and a friend.

Actor Paul Walker, the 40-year-old star of the "Fast & Furious" movie franchise, was killed in a single-car crash in California on Saturday.

"We appreciate your patience as we too are stunned and saddened beyond belief by this news," according to a post on his official Facebook page.

Slideshow: Paul Walker, 1973-2013 Emilio Naranjo / EPA The star of the "Fast & Furious" film franchise died in a car accident on Nov. 30, 2013. He was 40. Launch slideshow

Walker was a passenger in a friend's car. They had just attended a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide, the post said. "Both lost their lives," it added.

"Sadly I must confirm that Paul did pass away today in a car accident," Walker's representative Ame Van Iden told NBC News.

A fiery crash took place north of Los Angeles in the community of Valencia.

Authorities responded to the wreck at about 3:30 p.m. local time (6:30 p.m. ET), the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station told NBCLosAngeles.com.

The vehicle was engulfed in flames and extinguished by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, KNBC reported. Authorities found two people inside the vehicle after the fire was put out, officials said.

Andre Penner / AP file Actor Paul Walker was killed in a car crash after leaving a charity event on Saturday.

Both of its occupants were pronounced dead at the scene, KNBC reported.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

At the time of his death, Walker was working on the latest "Fast & Furious" movie.

The "Fast & Furious" franchise is a series of action films depicting street racing.

A statement released late Saturday by Universal Pictures read: "All of us at Universal are heartbroken. Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the FAST AND FURIOUS films, and to countless fans. We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul's family."

NBC News and Universal Pictures are properties of NBCUniversal.

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