CAMDEN, DELAWARE (4/26/2015) A crash on northbound U.S. 13 sent two people to a hospital, toppled a utility pole and started a fire in a nearby day care building, authorities said today.
The accident happened about 11:20 a.m. Saturday just north of Voshells Mill-Star Hill Road near Camden.
Delaware State Police said a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta sedan was rear-ended by a 2009 Nissan Rogue SUV.
The SUV then swerved off the east side of the highway and hit the pole, snapping it in half.
Camden-Wyoming firefighters who responded heard an alarm coming from The Children’s Place day care and then found smoke coming from a classroom. They extinguished a small fire, police said.
The state Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the fire but police said preliminary indications are a power surge from the broken pole may have sparked it.
The 16-year-old driver of the SUV, from the Camden-Wyoming area, and a 25-year-old Dover woman who was driving the sedan were taken by ambulance to Bayhealth Kent General Hospital. Police said both were treated and released.
The teen was cited by troopers for inattentive driving and failure to have insurance in possession.
Traffic lights were out in the area about an hour until the pole was repaired.