Teen pulled from burning car wreck

A teenager has had a lucky escape after being pulled from his burning car after hitting a bridge pillar in Southland.

Adam Chartres, 16, was heading home from the pool along the Clifden-Blackmount road, north of Tuatapere, on Tuesday when he crashed outside Wairaki Station.

Farm manager Craig MacGillivray told The Southland Times he spotted smoke and decided to investigate.

"I couldn't see (Adam) because of all the smoke in the car, so I stuck my head in and saw him.

"I wrenched the door open and got him a wee bit away and luckily another guy pulled up and helped me pull him further away."

His helper was Scottish tourist William Suttie, who said the car burned surprisingly quickly.

"It was a spectacular fire. The fuel tank went up and the tyres were exploding."

Firefighters later used axes and shovels to remove bits of car which baked on to the road.

Adam, who could not remember the crash, was released from Southland Hospital yesterday after receiving stitches in one leg.

Police were investigating what had caused the crash.

- NZPA