INDIANAPOLIS -- Multiple people were injured, including 20 police officers, when a crash on the east side ignited a fire in one of the vehicles.
The collision occurred around 8 p.m. on the 3400 block of North Post Road.
Indianapolis police had been chasing a suspect, but had called off the pursuit due to high speeds and deteriorating weather conditions. Shortly after that decision was made, officers reportedly saw the suspect lose control at 34th Street and Post Road and crash into another vehicle, causing his car to burst into flames.
The crash trapped the suspect inside his car. During efforts to extract the suspect from the vehicle, 15 IMPD officers and one sergeant suffered smoke-related injuries, including three who suffered serious smoke inhalation injuries.
One officer will be off duty for five days due to injuries from smoke inhalation.
Two Indiana State troopers and two Cumberland police officers were also treated for smoke inhalation as they assisted to keep the suspect alive.
The suspect was rushed to Eskenazi Hospital in critical condition. Police said they later discovered he had a gun in the car.
Occupants of the vehicle the suspect crashed into were evacuated from the area with only minor injuries.
The suspect has not yet been identified.
