A person driving a stolen van that burst into flames died on Wednesday, the Oakland police said.
Police were responding to calls about 10:45 a.m. Wednesday in the 8400 block of Ney Avenue, where they found the person in the van, Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong said in a video press release.
Officers attempted to stop the person using “stop strips” to immobilize the vehicle. The driver sped off, but the tires were punctured. Police decided against a vehicle pursuit, instead following the van with a helicopter.
As the van continued to flee the scene, the tires appeared to catch fire, said Armstrong, who added that unknown accelerants inside the vehicle caused the van to become fully engulfed in flames. The driver was unable to exit the van.
Officers who arrived on the scene attempted to get the person out, but were unable to do so before the driver died due to the flames, Armstrong said.
The identity of the driver was unavailable, but the incident is under investigation.