Police rescue suspects in high-speed chase, fiery crash

A police-involved chase came to a blazing conclusion when the car officers were tailing crashed and burst into flames. The two people inside the burning car were rescued by their pursuers and transported to an area hospital.

It started early Sunday morning in Tilburg when police began following a BMW at about 3:15 a.m. as it travelled eastbound on Midden Brabantweg. The officers were getting ready to pull the car over when the suspects bolted.

According to police, the driver then switched off the taillights, and quickly accelerated to over 150 km/h, three times the speed limit on the tree-lined city street. The officers involved said the car also flew through to red stoplights.

As police gave chase, the BMW collided with a light pole before crashing into a tree on Sweelincklaan. It "immediately caught fire," police said.

"The officers jumped out of their cars to free the occupants. The passenger was pulled out of the burning vehicle through the rear door. The driver was freed through the driver's door," police said in a statement.

The two 34-year-olds were both bloodied in the crash and taken to an area hospital. The passenger, from Tilburg, was admitted for injuries to the spine.

Police suspect the male driver, who lives in Waalwijk, of dangerous driving behavior. They took a blood sample to also determine if he was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

He was treated at the hospital and released from custody. The results of the blood test were not revealed.