PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A man was killed when his car slammed into a Route 10 SEPTA trolley in West Philadelphia Thursday night.
It happened around 8:30 p.m. at 59th Street and Lansdowne Avenue.
A Dodge Charger was going south on 59th Street when it struck the rear passenger side of the trolley on Lansdowne Avenue. The trolley was hit so hard it was knocked off its tracks.
The car burst into flames.
Officers pulled the 20-year-old driver out of the burning car, but he died at the hospital.
Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said the trolley had the green light.
“The first responding officer witnessed this vehicle fully engulfed, called for backup and took some very brave action reaching into the vehicle and pulling the 20-year-old driver out of this vehicle,” said Small.
“The trolley was struck with such force by this Dodge Charger that it actually knocked the trolley off of its tracks, which is not easy to do because these trolleys are very, very heavy.”
Police later identified the driver as Ahmir Lesean Henry.
There were nine passengers on the trolley. Two of them were children who were riding with their mother. The children suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital to be evaluated.
SEPTA said the trolley operator also suffered minor injuries.