The Boston Fire Department reports a driver managed to escape without injury after he drove into a utility pole at New England and Southern avenues, bringing down a transformer and electric wires onto his car and a nearby fence, all of which then burst into flames around 9:40 p.m. on Tuesday.

Firefighters had to watch the burning carnage from a safe distance until an Eversource crew responded about 35 minutes later to turn off the current to the pole.