One killed in East Austin car fire

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A person was killed when a car crashed and caught fire in East Austin on Tuesday morning.

The crash was reported just after 7:30 as a "rescue" in the 1100 block of Sara Drive. Less than 30 minutes later, authorities said one person died.

Police said a single vehicle was eastbound in 1100 block of Sara Drive when it lost control, left the roadway and crashed into a concrete floodwater drainage channel.  The vehicle then caught fire. 

The fire was extinguished and firefighters found the person dead inside the vehicle. The was no immediate information on the identity of the victim.

it was not clear whether the morning rain was a factor.

“The roads are wet. I mean, right now," said Senior Police Officer Veneza Bremmer. "At this point, they’re investigating all aspects of it to find out what happened.”

She warned motorists to be especially careful driving in bad weather.

“If you have to be out on the roads, please leave a little earlier," she said. "Drive with caution. It’s slippery. Don’t have any distractions in your vehicle. It’s dangerous enough when it’s not raining. It’s definitely a lot more dangerous when the roads are slick and the vehicles are harder to stop or control.”

Detectives plan to talk to any witnesses and contact family members to let them know about the death, Bremmer said.

This was Austin's fifth fatal wreck of 2013.