A vehicle crashed into a pine tree Thursday morning just before noon with the driver being life-flighted to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill.
The 25 year old driver was pinned in the vehicle which caught on fire. Retired firefighter, Frank Staples, said bystanders and DOT crews used their fire extinguishers to put out the fire before it spread to the passenger compartment.
The vehicle was reportedly heading North on May Street in Southern Pines when it hit the tree. Staples said there were no apparent skid marks on the road.
Photos contributed by Frank Staples
An eyewitness told authorities he estimated the vehicle speeding at around 70 miles per hour. Authorities did not release the driver’s identity. The driver’s condition is unknown at this time.
Responding to the accident scene were Southern Pines Fire and Rescue, Aberdeen Fire and Rescue, Moore County EMS, Moore County Sheriff’s Department, and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
