One person has been airlifted to a hospital in Toronto after an overnight collision in Amherstburg caused a house to be destroyed by a gas fire.
Amherstburg Fire Chief Bruce Montone told Blackburn Media that the collision occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, near the intersection of County Road 18 (Pike Place) and Concession Road 9.
Montone said the vehicle left the roadway and "sheared off" the gas metre when it struck a house and ended up in the master bedroom.
The driver suffered severe burns and was airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital early Saturday morning. Montone had no additional information about the driver or their current condition.
"It took some time to get the gas shut off so as a result, the home is a complete loss," he said.
An exact damage estimate is unknown at this point.
Fortunately, no one was inside the house at the time of the collision.
"Had they been home at the time, I think the results would have been far more tragic," he said. Montone also said the homeowners have been notified.
As of 11 a.m., County Road 18 remained closed between County Road 9 and County Road 11 as Windsor police investigated. The area reopened to traffic just before 12:30 p.m.
Montone said fire crews left the scene at around 6:30 a.m.
Crews from three different stations attended the scene and heavy equipment was brought in to assist. Montone thanked them and fellow first responders, such as police and paramedics, for help in bringing the situation under control.