Passenger dies in fiery car crash when he hits a tree in Kearny Mesa

One driver died early Saturday morning and another suffered serious injuries after a violent collision with a tree in Kearny Mesa.

According to OnScene.TV, the male driver of the Nissan drove off the road at around 2:30 a.m. while traveling eastbound on State Route 52. The car veered onto the right shoulder, where the Nissan struck a large eucalyptus tree and burst into flames.

Two California Highway Patrol officers arrived and attempted to extinguish the fire while waiting for San Diego firefighters.

The driver was found lying outside the car and taken to a local hospital.

Firefighters discovered the passenger in the vehicle. It is not known whether the person died from the impact or the fire.