Vehicle Erupts in Flames After Plunging Off Route 17 Near Endwell

Eastbound traffic on two busy roadways east of Endwell came to a halt after a vehicle went over an embankment along Route 17 and became engulfed by fire.

The crash occurred shortly after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Westover section of the town of Union.

A vehicle that had been traveling east veered off the expressway and burst into flames.

Emergency dispatchers received several 911 calls reporting a possible car fire, train fire or a brush fire in the area of the George F. Highway and the Home Depot store. Thick black smoke from the raging blaze could be seen for miles.

The vehicle came to a rest between Route 17 and the Norfolk Southern Railway tracks.

Access to the scene in a wooded area was difficult. Some firefighters battled the blaze from the highway while others approached it from an abandoned roadway off the George F. Highway.

The driver of the vehicle apparently was able to extricate himself. He apparently was not seriously injured. He was evaluated at the scene by the Union Volunteer Emergency Squad.

Traffic in the eastbound lanes of Route 17 and Route 17C was backed up for a time as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

VIDEO: Minutes after the vehicle plunged down the embankment on the south side of Route 17 between Endwell and Johnson City.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.