Car fireball tragedy pair are still missing
CRASH: Police searching for two men who fled from a burning car after it crashed into the front garden of a house, leaving two dead, believe one may have “terrible” leg injuries and will need medical attention.
POLICE SEARCHING for two men who fled from a burning car after it crashed into the front garden of a house, leaving two people dead, believe one may have “terrible” leg injuries and will need urgent medical attention.
Officers have said five people were in a Renault Megane car which overturned and was engulfed in a fireball in the village of Branton, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Two occupants died and one was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after he scrambled, still on fire, from the burning car and was put out by local residents.
South Yorkshire Police are extremely concerned for the other two people who fled the scene as no one has presented themselves to hospitals but at least one of them is seriously hurt and could be in a life-threatening condition.
A spokesman said: “Reports suggest that at least one of them had serious injuries and had lost a significant amount of blood. Despite extensive inquiries carried out by police to find them, they have not yet been located.”
Inspector Steve Askham said: “From the witness accounts we have so far, one of the men had a terrible leg injury, which we believe was caused by the fire. People have told us the men were seriously injured and we believe they need urgent medical attention due to the impact of the crash and also the fire.
“No one has presented themselves at hospital with these injuries or at our local GPs, so the likelihood is that these men are still suffering with serious injuries, which could be life-threatening and have terrible consequences. I urge them to come forward to get the treatment they need.
“Also, I urge anyone who knows where these men are to come forward and tell us what you know so that we can ensure they are safe and well.”
Mr Askham asked anyone in the area at the time of the crash who took photographs or moving footage of what happened to come forward with their material. He said: “Witnesses have been sharing their images and footage online and with the media, but I’d urge them to contact us as what they saw could be crucial to our investigation. “
The officer said he was unable to confirm who was sitting where inside the car and work is ongoing to formally identify the two men who died.
Michael Burton has described how his girlfriend was in the house when the car smashed through the front wall of his garden and burst into flames.
He said the rockery in front of the house probably stopped the vehicle smashing into the house
The likelihood is that these men are still suffering with serious injuries Inspector Steve Askham
itself and setting the building on fire with his girlfriend inside.
The 21-year-old’s parents, who own the detached house, are on holiday in Tenerife. Mr Burton said: “From what I heard, she (his girlfriend) actually saw the driver get out of the car, burning alive. He ran across the road to the lady across the road and she did a sterling job to help the guy. If it wasn’t for her, he would have been another fatality.”
One local business owner said his CCTV system caught cars speeding just moments before the crash. He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “We saw there were two cars, possibly three cars, racing side-by-side and ... they were hitting one another. The wing mirrors and so-forth were flying off and dust from the edge of the road. After that they sped past and there was an almighty crash and that was out of sight.”