A MAN has died following a crash along a main Poole road, which involved a van ploughing into trees just yards from a busy petrol station.

Emergency services were called to Waterloo Road, between Darby’s Corner and Fleets Corner, just after 2.10pm today.

A white van, which was travelling from Poole toward Gravel Hill, crossed the central reservation into the opposite carriageway before smashing through fencing and into a tree. 

Bournemouth Echo:

Neighbours used a ladder to help free the van’s passenger as the vehicle had turned onto its side. He was treated at the scene and taken to Poole Hospital suffering with a head injury.

However, the driver, a 61-year-old man from Christchurch, suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

His next of kin have been informed and the coroner notified.

Both carriageways were closed between Cabot Lane and Darbys Corner roundabout to allow collision investigators to examine the scene. The road was fully re-opened just after 7pm.

Police Sergeant Mark Scammell, of the traffic unit, said: “Sadly the driver was pronounced dead at the scene and his family are being supported by specially-trained officers.

"I am appealing for witnesses to the collision, or anyone who saw the manner of driving of the vehicle immediately prior to the incident, to please come forward.

"I would also like to thank the public for their patience during the road closures which were necessary to allow officers to establish exactly what happened."

Bournemouth Echo:

Three crews from Poole fire station attended the crash.

A spokesperson for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Control told the Daily Echo: “We assisted ambulance with releasing two casualties from the vehicle.

"We treated one casualty. The second casualty we had to extricate from the vehicle with hydraulic cutting equipment.

"The crews were involved with efforts to revive the casualty," they added.

Shocked Dean Stephens, who lives next door to the Shell garage, Waterloo Road, was sitting in his lounge when the crash happened.

He told the Daily Echo: “I saw a van come across, take out my fence and wedge itself between two trees in my garden.

“I looked out and didn’t really know what to do at first. I saw other people coming out of their houses and they were saying to get a ladder.”

Mr Stephens grabbed a ladder and put it up against the van, as it had flipped onto its side, to get to the passenger door.

“We managed to get the passenger out just as the emergency services were arriving, then they took over.”

Mr Stephens was unable to return to his house this evening.

His partner, Holly Morgan, said: “I was coming home from work when I saw the police had cordoned off my front garden.

“I drove around the back of my house and a policeman told me what had happened.

“It is a huge shock, I feel quite shaken up. I’ve lived here around a year and this is the worst crash I’ve ever seen on this road.”

Bournemouth Echo:

Anyone with information about the incident should call Dorset Police on 101, quoting incident number 24:200.