US ACTRESS ANNE Heche is in a coma and has not regained consciousness following a collision that left her vehicle “engulfed in flames”, a representative has confirmed.

Heche, 53, was taken to hospital following the incident on Friday morning in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles and remains in a critical condition.

She is the former partner of US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres – the pair began dating in 1997 before separating in 2000 – and is known for films including Donnie Brasco, Cedar Rapids and the 1998 Psycho remake.

“Previous reports stating that Anne Heche was stable were inaccurate,” a spokesperson told the PA news agency.

“Shortly after the accident, Anne became unconscious, slipping into a coma and is in critical condition.

“She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention.”

Pictures and video footage obtained by US media outlet TMZ following the incident 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).

“Fifty-nine 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 home’s occupant had escaped without injury.

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