Minor injuries reported following vehicle fire in South Kona

Minor injuries were reported following a vehicle fire in South Kona Tuesday afternoon.

Reports about the black sedan crashing into a telephone started circulating on social media at around 4:30 p.m. According to Hawai‘i Island police Lt. Erich Jackson, the vehicle crashed into the pole near Miloli‘i along Hawai‘i Belt Road.

One occupant was in the car and bystanders helped them escape the flames. Hawai‘i Firefighters did respond to put out the blaze.

Julie Leonard was traveling from Ocean View to Kona when she captured a photo of the vehicle and telephone pole on fire. She said police or an ambulance wasn’t on scene when she passed the fire.

“We could feel immense heat through the closed windows of the car while driving by,” Leonard said.

Jackson said police directed traffic through the scene. The road was never closed.