Driver Killed In Fiery Warwick Crash

WARWICK, RI — A motorist was killed in a fiery wreck early Monday, police said.

A driver crashed into a traffic signal pole at the intersection of Post and Airport roads shortly before 1 a.m. and the vehicle burst into flame, becoming "fully engulfed," the Warwick Police Department said in a media release.

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Warwick firefighters extinguished the blaze and found a sole occupant of the vehicle in the driver's seat, according to the release.

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"The Warwick Police Accident Reconstruction Team also responded and learned that the vehicle had been traveling westbound on Airport Road at what appeared to be a high rate of speed, according to a witness, driving across the Post Road intersection, and directly into the traffic signal pole where the vehicle came to rest, the release said.

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"The Accident Reconstruction Team is still actively investigating this fatal collision and is currently withholding the operator's name pending positive identification and notification to the next-of-kin," the release said

Traffic signals at the intersection will be out of service for much of the day due to extensive damage from the fire, according to the release.

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"We're asking the public to avoid traveling through this area until the RI Department of Transportation can complete their repairs," the release said.

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