On Wednesday, August 7th at approximately 1:10pm Lanesborough Police Department, Fire Department and ambulance were dispatched to an area in between 782 and 785 Partridge Road, Lanesborough, Massachusetts for a single vehicle collision. First responders were able to reach the scene within 90 seconds. When they arrived at the scene, first responders observed a vehicle that had collided with a tree. The vehicle, later identified as a Nissan Rogue, was engulfed in flames.
Upon response, Lanesborough first responders worked to extinguish the flames. Once the flames were extinguished, first responders found one individual in the car who was located in the driver’s seat. The victim was later identified as Susanna Thomas (8/14/1976: Cheshire, MA). When the flames were extinguished, law enforcement reported the victim had severe burns and was deceased.
Early investigations indicate that the car was traveling at a high speed down Partridge Road (speed limit 35 miles per hour) when it struck a tree. A neighbor reported hearing a large boom and called 911. There were no tire tracks on the road or sounds heard to indicate the driver attempted to break prior to the collision.
Law enforcement response included the Lanesborough Police Department, the Lanesborough Fire Department, Lanesborough ambulance services, the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, and the State Police Crash Analysis and Reconstruct Section.