Transit police officer seriously injured in fiery crash in Surrey

RCMP are thanking bystanders for rushing to help a Metro Vancouver Transit Police officer who was seriously injured in a fiery crash in Surrey, B.C., late Wednesday.

Officers responded to reports of a collision near 128 Street and 93 Avenue shortly after 11p.m. PT, according toRCMP Cpl. Joanie Sidhuat a media availabilityThursday morning.

They found an unmarked police SUVand a sedan-type vehiclehad collided with each other, then crashed into a fence and into thebackyard of a home, Sidhu said.

Bystandershelped get the driver out of the SUV, whichhad caught fire.

"We'd like to thank bystanders in the area who helped with removing the officer from the police vehicle when it had caught fire," Sidhu said.

It's not clear if the transit police officer's injuries were sustained by the crash impactor as a result of the fire.

Sidhu said thedriver of the sedan sustained only minor injuries.

She said the investigaton is in its early stagesbut it appears the transit officer was en route to an unspecified emergency incident at the time of the crash.

The RCMP'straffic services unit isinvestigating all aspects of the crash, she said.