Woman pinned in burning vehicle dies, driver ejected and hospitalized

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A woman died after she was trapped in a burning vehicle when the driver crashed in southeast Houston early this morning.

Police say the accident happened in the 200 block of Evans near Telephone around 2:00am. Investigators say a pickup truck traveling westbound on Evans slammed into a tree at a high rate of speed.

The impact was so powerful that it pushed the engine into the cabin. Witnesses say the truck then burst into flames.

"It shook the whole house came out and saw the truck into the tree. Then my neighbor pulled the guy away from the truck," said area resident Jeff Traptow.

Police say tell us a man, believed to be the driver, was ejected from the truck. He survived the impact and was taken to Ben Taub Hospital in critical condition.

A female passenger was pinned inside the burning truck and did not survive. The medical examiner is now working to remove her body from the wreckage.