SURREY - A Whalley man is lucky to be alive after his Dodge Neon crashed into a power pole and burst into flames Wednesday night.

The man, age 24, got out of the car just in time and a passer-by helped him across the street. Surrey RCMP Cpl. Drew Grainger noted he was "very lucky" to have escaped the ordeal with only a broken ankle.

It happened just before 10 p.m., near 104th Avenue and 142nd Street.

A mechanical inspection is being done on what's left of the Neon in an attempt to determine why it went off the right side of the road. Speed and alcohol were not factors in the crash, Grainger said.

The crash knocked out electrical power for about 3,000 households.

tzytaruk@thenownewspaper.com