BOSTON, N.Y. — A car accident on Route 219 near the Armor Duells Road exit has killed one person and sent another to the hospital.
A portion of Route 219 northbound was closed for nearly three hours Friday morning while police investigated the accident.
Orchard Park police say they received multiple calls around 11:12 a.m. that a car that had gone off the 219 expressway and hit a tree. Callers told police the people in the car were trapped and that it was on fire.
When police arrived on scene, near the Armor Duells exit, they worked to put out the fire with the help of other drivers who had pulled over. A Dival Safety Equipment delivery truck also stopped and provided the fire extinguishers that the police and bystanders used to put out the fire.
Police say the male driver of the vehicle was taken by ambulance to Mercy Ambulatory Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Firefighters were able to remove the female passenger from the car as well. She was taken to ECMC by Mercy Flight. She is currently in critical condition, according to police.
NIITEC had reported a crash around 11:54 a.m. that has closed the 219 heading north, at Route 391 (Boston State Road), which is the Boston/Hamburg exit.
State Police in Boston told 2 On Your Side they were diverting northbound traffic off the 219 at that exit and letting motorists back on the 219 at the Armor Duells exit.
Orchard Park and West Seneca Accident Investigation Units reconstructed the scene and are still investigating the cause.
NIITEC reported the expressway's reopening at 2:42 p.m.