Occupants disappear after car flips, catches fire

The driver and occupants of a burnt out car may have had a lucky escape after it crashed into a paddock south of Christchurch.

The vehicle landed upside down in a Lincoln paddock at the intersection of Birchs and Tancreds Rds on Sunday and then caught fire.

The vehicle was completely destroyed.

Lincoln volunteer firefighters were called to the scene at 5.30am.

Chief fire officer Jeremy Greenwood said it appears the vehicle left the road and rolled into the paddock.

“It was well involved in fire when we arrived but there were no occupants," he said. 

"They had left the scene before we got there.

“The fire had the potential to spread with the dry grass so it was lucky the conditions were quite calm at the time and we were able to contain it.”

Firefighters had to return to the area later on Sunday when smoke was seen coming from dry scrub near the vehicle.