HOLYOKE — One person died in single-car crash in which the driver drove into a telephone pole at the intersection of North Canal and Lyman streets early Friday morning, according to the Holyoke Police Department.
When police arrived at the intersection at about 5 a.m., they saw power lines laying across the road and called in the Holyoke Fire Department and EMS, as well as the city’s utility company, Holyoke Gas & Electric, according to Police Capt. Matthew F. Moriarty.
The vehicle was on its roof and on fire after crashing into the pole, Fire Capt. David Rex said.
“They first had to contend with a fire as there were flames showing from the engine compartment,” Rex said. “The operator had driven into a telephone pole and it split into three pieces. The fire ignited due to the impact with the pole.”
The crash knocked out power for approximately 450 Holyoke Gas & Electric customers.
After the fire was extinguished, firefighters performed a lengthy extrication of the lone occupant due to the nature of the crash, Rex said.
“As the front passenger door was removed, a firearm fell from the vehicle,” Moriarty wrote in an email. “Officers on scene secured the firearm.”
The operator, who police did not identify as of Friday afternoon, was transported to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
Moriarty said Holyoke Police were later contacted by the state medical examiner’s office that the operator had died.
The crash is under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police CRASH unit.
Emily Thurlow can be reached at ethurlow@gazettenet.com.
