One severely injured after car slams into tree

A man was severely injured in Menlo Park early this morning after his vehicle slammed into a tree and caught fire, according to a Menlo Park Fire Protection District spokesman.

Firefighters responded to 2450 Sand Hill Road at 4:30 a.m. on reports of a vehicle that struck a tree and caught fire, with a victim trapped inside.

Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman said firefighters located the vehicle and victim just east of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and quickly worked to extinguish the fire and rescue the victim. Schapelhouman said the victim, a man in his 20s, suffered from severe burns and extensive trauma as a result of the crash, and had to be extricated using the “Jaws of Life” cutters and spreaders.

He was immediately taken to Stanford Hospital. His status was unavailable.

Information on the identification of the victim, and cause of the crash has not yet been released.