One person died and children were hurt in a fiery crash involving a SEPTA trolley and a car in West Philadelphia Thursday night.
Just before 8:20 p.m. the driver of a Dodge Charger traveling at a high rate of speed ran a red light and rear-ended a Route 10 SEPTA trolley near 59th Street and Lansdowne Avenue, police said.
The trolley was traveling west on Lansdowne and the Dodge was going south on 59th when it slammed into the passenger side of the trolley, Police Chief Inspector Scott Small, said.
Small said the trolley was hit with such force that it was knocked off the tracks.
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A police officer tried to save the driver, who was later identified as Ahmir Lesean Henry of West Philadelphia.
"The first responding officer witnessed this vehicle fully engulfed, called for backup and took some very brave action in reaching into the vehicle and pulling the 20-year-old driver out of this vehicle," Small said.
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Henry, however, died a short time later at the hospital, Small said.
In total, 11 passengers and a trolley operator were on board, police said. Two kids were injured and taken to the hospital with what police called minor injuries. The SEPTA operator was also hurt and was treated at a hospital in stable condition.
SEPTA operated shuttle buses in both directions from 63rd and Malvern to 36th Street Portal, according to officials.
The crash remained under investigation overnight.
Correction (Sept. 22, 2023, 7:25 a.m.): This story has been updated to clarify the total number of injuries to passengers on board the trolley.
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