US actor Anne Heche was reportedly taken to hospital in a critical condition following a collision that left her vehicle “engulfed in flames”.

The incident occurred on Friday morning in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles, near to Ms Heche’s home.

The actress (53) is the former partner of US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, and is known for films including Donnie Brasco, Cedar Rapids, and Psycho.

Pictures and video footage obtained by US media outlet TMZ showed Ms Heche driving a blue Mini Cooper, which was later pictured severely damaged at the scene.

The vehicle struck a two-storey home and “erupted in heavy fire” according to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).

“59 firefighters took 65 minutes to access, confine and fully extinguish the stubborn flames within the heavily damaged structure,” an LAFD report stated.

“One female adult [was] found within the vehicle, who has been taken to an area hospital by LAFD Paramedics in critical condition.”

The LAFD also confirmed to the PA news agency that the vehicle had driven 30ft into the residence but that the occupant had escaped without injury.

The building was left “uninhabitable”, spokesman Brian Humphrey added.

Heche began dating DeGeneres in 1997 but separated in 2000. - PA