Woman Dead After Fiery Single-Vehicle Crash
One woman is dead following a fiery, single-vehicle crash in Houston, TX. The crash occurred on Sunday, March 20, in the 1500 block of Chimney Rock.
The Fiery Crash
On March 20, at around 3 a.m., a black Jeep was traveling on Chimney Rock when it left the roadway for an unknown reason. According to police, the vehicle struck the curb, ran through a Houston resident’s front yard, and struck a tree. The Houston Police Department believes that the impact caused the vehicle to catch fire.
A group of neighbors heard the crash and came out to help the passengers inside the vehicle. They were able to rescue the male passenger from the black Jeep by breaking out the back window. The male passenger survived the crash with no substantial burns. He was taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition.
The driver’s body was burned in the fire and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Police believe that the driver died on impact.
The Houston Police Department stated that the male passenger was unable to tell them the identity of the female driver. The medical examiner’s office is currently working to identify the woman. Police were also unable to determine if the female driver was intoxicated at the time of the crash.
Common Injuries Faced in Car Fires
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there were a total of 212,500 vehicle fires in the U.S. in 2018. These vehicle fires resulted in 560 deaths and 1,500 injuries.
Because car fires can start and spread fairly quickly, they pose a great threat to passengers inside the vehicle. While many vehicle fires result in fatalities, individuals do often survive with minor to severe injuries. The common injuries that a person may face after a car fire include:
Burns — Burns from a car fire can range from minor to severe. Critical burns can lead to severe skin damage, scarring, and amputation. Car fire burns can also cause breathing and digestive issues.
Lacerations — Lacerations can occur from flying debris inside the vehicle once the car fire starts.
Toxic exposure — Toxic exposure can happen from fumes being released during a car fire. This can lead to respiratory problems and lung damage.
Injuries from a car fire can require a substantial amount of treatment and create long-term effects. In order to minimize the injuries that you face in a car fire, it’s important to get out of the vehicle as quickly and safely as possible.
If you have any other passengers inside the vehicle, help them to safety once you’ve successfully exited the vehicle. Doing so can help reduce the severity of burns and toxic exposure that you and other passengers face from the vehicle fire.