Man dies of burns after Hammond crash

One person was killed and another injured in a fiery crash Friday morning in northwest Indiana.

A 2015 Jeep Cherokee was eastbound in the 1100 block of May Street in Hammond, Ind., about 4:30 a.m. when it crossed over into the 5800 block of Columbia Avenue and struck a tree, according to a statement from Hammond police. The vehicle caught fire a short time later.

A front-seat passenger died as a result of the crash, authorities said.

The passenger, a male whose age and name were unknown Friday morning, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Lake County coroner’s office. He died from burns to the body suffered in the accident.

A witness told investigators someone came to the scene of the crash, put someone who may have been the driver over his shoulder and carried him away from the scene, police said. The driver may have “extensive leg injuries.”

Authorities have not yet identified the driver or the person who carried him from the crash, police said. Anyone with information should call Hammond police at (219) 853-6490.