Vehicle strikes tree, catches fire; driver killed

One person was killed Tuesday afternoon in a fiery single-vehicle crash near Torrey Pines High School, San Diego police said.

The crash occurred about 3:05 p.m. on Carmel Canyon Road near Del Mar Heights Road, a few blocks east of the school campus in Carmel Valley, San Diego police Officer John Buttle said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, but the vehicle struck a tree and then burst into flames, Buttle said. One occupant of the vehicle died at the scene.

Buttle described the victim as possibly being a passenger in the car, but did not have information about a driver. A San Diego Fire-Rescue Department official said the person who died was believed to be the only occupant of the vehicle.

The age and other information about the person who died were not immediately known, Buttle said.