A crash in a residential area of East Franklin Street led to a vehicle fire and briefly closed the road, according to the Town of Chapel Hill.
An alert from the local government at 8:06 p.m. told travelers the stretch of East Franklin Street between Estes Drive and Boundary Street was closed as both the Chapel Hill fire and police departments responded to reports of a fire. A later update said the fire happened after two vehicles crashed near Carolina Avenue, a residential road in the bend of a curve of East Franklin Street.
Police said the drivers of both vehicles were transported to the hospital, with the driver of the vehicle that caught fire suffering “serious injuries” and the other driver’s injuries not believed to be life threatening.
The road reopened to normal traffic patterns roughly two hours after the crash, with Chapel Hill sharing an alert at 9:36 p.m. to travelers.
Chapel Hill’s update said the cause of the vehicle crash is under investigation, with no additional information being publicly shared as of late Friday night.
Featured photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Related Stories
‹

Chapel Hill Announces New Fire ChiefChapel Hill Town Manager Maurice Jones announced Vencelin Harris has been appointed as the new fire chief of the Chapel Hill Fire Department effective February 3. Harris currently serves as Chapel Hill’s emergency management coordinator and began his career more than 25 years ago at the Town of Chapel Hill. He has served in nearly every […]

Chapel Hill Holds Santa Rescue on West Franklin StreetTown of Chapel Hill Community Arts and Culture and the Chapel Hill Fire Department will host their Santa Rooftop Rescue Friday evening. The rescue, which was rescheduled due to rainy weather on December 13, will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Franklin Street. The event will feature Santa Claus finding himself up on the […]

New Fire Station Starting To Feel Like Home for Chapel Hill CrewsChapel Hill Fire Department’s newest ladder truck is doing a test run of its ladder. Clifton Brooks, who has been with the department for almost two years, mans the ladder from the bucket in the air. “You’ve got to be kind of careful because it can be kind of touchy,” he said as the ladder […]

Hometown Hero: Bill BlankenshipThis week’s Hometown Hero, presented by Hendrick Southpoint, is Chapel Hill Fire Department battalion chief Bill Blankenship. Blankenship was the incident commander last week when a trench collapse occurred on UNC’s campus, trapping and injuring two construction workers. Chapel Hill firefighters worked with other authorities to rescue the workers swiftly. Blankenship credits the preparation that […]

Chapel Hill Duplex Fire Displaces Eight, No Injuries ReportedThe Chapel Hill Fire Department responded to a duplex fire Saturday morning, which it said displaced eight people.

Chapel Hill: UNC Visitors Center Evacuated Due to Gas LeakThe UNC Visitors Center, located at 134 East Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill, was evacuated Wednesday afternoon due to a gas leak. The Chapel Hill Fire Department initially responded to a report of the leak at 2:54 p.m., then began evacuating the building upon its arrival. A spokesperson for Enbridge Gas, which provides natural […]

Top Stories Of 2025: Fires Close Doors of Chapel Hill, Carrboro BusinessesOver the course of 2025, fires impacted a handful of the community's beloved small businesses and institutions.

After Chapel Hill Fire Investigation, Report Reveals Siena Hotel Fire DetailsThe Chapel Hill Fire Department recently provided additional insight into the August fire at the Siena Hotel via a detailed incident report.

Fire in Townhome Displaces 4 Chapel Hill Residents; No Injuries ReportedA fire at a townhome building in Chapel Hill sent firefighters rushing to the blaze and left four residents displaced on Thursday evening.

Crash and Vehicle Fire Briefly Close E. Franklin Street in Chapel Hill; 2 InjuredA crash in a residential area of East Franklin Street briefly closed the road and led to a vehicle fire, according to the Town of Chapel Hill.
›