Driver Flees after Wreck Sparks NY Blaze
By Samantha House
Source Syracuse Media Group, N.Y.
Nov. 23 -- SYRACUSE, NY -- A driver fled after crashing into a utility pole in Syracuse and sparking a fire that destroyed a West Side home on Thanksgiving.
And now, the Syracuse Police Department is searching for the unknown driver.
A vehicle hit a pole at 1:43 a.m. Thursday at Liberty Street and West Belden Avenue. Power lines toppled by the accident started to spark. Both the vehicle and a nearby home -- 417 Liberty St. -- caught on fire, said Lt. David Brown, a police spokesman.
The driver walked away from the crash, heading south on Liberty Street, Brown said.
The Syracuse Fire Department rushed to Liberty Street and helped residents escape the burning home. As the wind chill dipped to minus 2 degrees, firefighters worked to put out the blaze.
The fire destroyed the Liberty Street home and the vehicle involved in the crash, Brown said. A parked car, a utility pole, a stop sign and a transformer were damaged. Hundreds of customers in the area lost power.
Three people -- including two firefighters -- were injured, said Lt. Eric Yetman, a fire department spokesman. The American Red Cross is helping six people.
It appears speed caused the crash, Brown said. The fallen, sparking power lines then sparked the blaze, Yetman said.
After the accident, the registered owner of the vehicle involved in the crash called 911 and reported the vehicle as stolen, Brown said. But officers could not find the owner, he said.
The driver of the vehicle was described as a black man in his mid 20s wearing a black, hooded sweatshirt with white lettering, Brown said. Police asked anyone with information to call (315) 422-5130 or submit tips anonymously through the Syracuse PD app.
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