A man suffered critical burns after his car rolled over near State Route 154.
Man burned during rollover
A man with critical burns was transported by ground to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital after his car rolled over and caught on fire on State Route 154.
The rollover and fire, which spread to brush along the highway, happened near Paradise Road.
The driver was pulled from the vehicle by a female bystander who was also transported for smoke inhalation, according to Capt. Scott Safechuck, the public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The California Highway Patrol reported the crash around 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
The rollover led to a 50-foot by 50-foot vegetation fire that resulted in the closure of State Route 154 in both directions. The forward progress of the fires was stopped shortly after 7 p.m. by County Fire, which responded with three engines. About two hours later, the highway reopened.
Firefighters and paramedics assisted with critical patient treatment and transported the man to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Capt. Safechuck said County Fire remained on-site for mop-up.
— Katherine Zehnder
