Francestown firefighters responded to a crash that resulted in a car fire on Greenfield Road Friday around 5:55 a.m.
A 2010 Toyota Corolla, driven by Adric Wells, 20, of Jaffrey, left the roadway and hit a tree, Francestown Fire Chief Larry Kullgren said Friday. Wells was the only occupant of the Toyota.
Wells was able to get out of the vehicle on his own and was standing in the roadway with a motorist, who has stopped to assist, when firefighters arrived, Kullgren said. The car was on fire.
“The car was well involved upon my arrival,” Kullgren said. “The car was a complete loss.”
Wells reported the car started smoking and caught on fire shortly after he exited it, Kullgren said.
Wells had minor injuries, including chest pain, which was likely caused by his seatbelt restraining him during the crash, Kullgren said. Wells was not taken to the hospital by ambulance. He was picked up by his mother and told Kullgren he would go to the hospital for a medical check.
Kullgren said what caused the fire isn’t clear beyond the impact to the tree.
“Obviously, it’s not very common for cars to catch fire following a crash, so we are still investigating that aspect,” he said.
The crash happened in the area of 953 Greenfield Road, between Reid Road and Udall Road.
The road was reduced to one lane for the duration of the accident and then both lanes were closed briefly while a tow company retrieved the vehicle.
Rescue 1, Engine 1 and Tanker 2 were assisted on scene by Peterborough Ambulance and NH State Police.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.