NAPLES, Maine — Officials are at the scene of a crash in Harrison that they are calling a "hazardous materials scene" after an electric vehicle struck a tree Thursday morning.
Shortly before 10:45 a.m., the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office responded alongside several agencies to a report of a single-vehicle fatal crash involving an electric vehicle in the area of 752 Harrison Rd. in Naples, the sheriff's office said in a news release.
Deputies said the crash presented "significant hazards" to first responders and area residents due to the nature of the vehicle involved, which was a 2024 Tesla. The model of the Tesla was not identified in the release.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as 33-year-old Sergi Kolesnick of Harrison, was pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said.
"The crash involved a high-speed impact with a tree, which caused the Tesla to catch fire," the release stated. "Several of the components of the vehicle became dislodged due to the impact. The vehicle components created a significant debris field of batteries and several spot fires occurred."
According to the release, fire and EMS personnel worked several hours to contain the scene and prevent fires from spreading from the involved vehicle to a nearby home and the surrounding wooded area. The scene was managed as a "hazardous materials scene," and cleanup of the scene remains ongoing as of 3 p.m. Thursday.
As of 3 p.m. Thursday, the roadway also remains closed between the southern end of Lewis Road in Naples and the northern end of Lewis Road in Harrison, according to deputies.
The crash remains under investigation by the sheriff's office and the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta.
Naples Fire/EMS, fire departments from Casco, Sebago, and Bridgton, and the Department of Environmental Protection assisted at the scene.