An SUV burst into flames following a collision on the E.C. Row Expressway Friday morning.
Windsor police Sgt. Matt DAsti said two people are fortunate they suffered only minor personal injuries after the accident involving two vehicles at the intersection of Banwell Road and E.C. Row shortly before 10:30 a.m. If you have been injured in a car accident contact a reputable car accident lawyer in Windsor for a free consultation.
DAsti said a 2008 Pontiac Torrent was travelling east on E.C. Row, approaching a green light at Banwell, when a 2011 Kia Sorento travelling west made a southbound turn against a red light and the two vehicles collided in the intersection.
The Kia was travelling westbound on the E.C. Row, but instead of getting in the turn lane, he went around the turn lane and just made a wide turn, said DAsti. So although the light for westbound traffic was green, definitely the turning lane had a red signal, but the Kia bypassed the turn lane and went around that lane of traffic and just tried to attempt to make that turn.
Following the collision, the Torrent began to smoke and smoulder and burst into flames, said DAsti.
However, the driver was able to exit the vehicle prior to that happening, said DAsti. He said the Torrents drivers door was jammed shut because of the collision so the driver, a 55-year-old man who was the lone occupant of the vehicle, escaped out of the passengers door.
Gregory Wood, 51, said he was travelling east behind the Torrent when he witnessed the collision.
Wood said he got out of his vehicle and could see and smell smoke coming from the Torrent so he yelled for some other people who had also stopped to help him pull the man from the vehicle before it burst into flames.
We had to pull him out of the passenger side, said Wood. And then it just went fast, I mean unbelievably fast. I couldn’t believe how fast the vehicle got engulfed.