Two die as car hits pole

GREAT BEND — At least two people died and three others were injured Saturday night after the car they were traveling in veered off County Route 47 and struck a pole and a tree.

At least two people were ejected from the vehicle as a result of the accident, state police said.

The victims were transported to Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield on Fort Drum, then flown by helicopter to the hospital. State police at the scene said they did not know which hospital the victims were being sent to.

Police said the southbound vehicle left the straight stretch of road shortly after 9 p.m. It then struck a utility pole and another larger tree before coming to rest in a front yard.

Police had not identified the names or ages of the victims early today.

A firefighter at the scene from Great Bend Fire Department said a small fire in the vehicle was put out using a hand-held fire extinguisher. The department's pumper could not reach the scene because of the live electrical wires, fire officials said.

National Grid reported 47 outages in the town of Champion at 11:30 p.m. as a result of the crash. The utility company estimated power would be restored by 6:45 a.m. today.

The accident forced police to close the road from Pennock Road to County Route 143 for several hours. A state police accident reconstruction team was called to the scene.

Also responding were Guilfoyle Ambulance Service and Carthage Ambulance.