Crime & Safety
Driver Escapes from Burning Car on Black Rock Turnpike Today
Brooklyn, N.Y. Man Refuses Transport to Hospital
A Brooklyn, N.Y. man escaped with only minor injuries from a burning car on Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield this morning, firefighters reported.
Ricardo Beggs' Toyota Corolla burst into flames after he struck a tree near Hemlock Road, but he was able to escape from the car with only minor injuries and refused transport to a hospital, firefighters and police said.
Beggs, 38, was driving on Black Rock Turnpike about 5 a.m. today when he lost control of his car and crashed into a tree near Hemlock Road, firefighters said.
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Beggs' car was fully on fire and resting against a tree when firefighters arrived, and they quickly extinguished the blaze and prevented hazardous materials from the car from entering a nearby reservoir. Firefighters said Beggs told them he had trouble getting out of the car because of the tree.
Emergency responders searched the area to ensure no one else was a victim of the crash, which remains under investigation by the Fairfield Police Department.
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"The cause of the fire was accidental and due to the damage resulting from the car striking a tree head on," Assistant Fire Chief Scott Bisson said, adding that the car and all of the Beggs' belongings inside the car were destroyed.
Aquarian Water Co. was notified of the accident because it took place so close to a reservoir, but there didn't appear to be any contamination of the water supply, firefighters said.
Black Rock Turnpike in the area of Hemlock Road was closed for about two hours because of the accident, according to the Fire Department's report. Traffic was directed around the accident scene until Beggs' car could safely be removed from the woods, firefighters said.
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