CHUDLEIGH was a town in mourning today (August 27) after the deaths of a young man and a teenager in a fireball road smash just outside Kingsteignton.

A 27-year-old man and his 17-year-old passenger died when their Jaguar S-type collided with a car of the same make on Clay Pits Way just before 6pm yesterday (August 26).

The pair, both local to Chudleigh, were pronounced dead at the scene. They have been named on social media as talented sportsman Callum Heath and driver Lewis Taylor, although no official identities have been disclosed.

The driver of an X-type Jaguar, also from the town and in his 60s, suffered life-changing injuries in the smash on the B3193.

He was flown by air ambulance to Plymouth’s Derriford Hospital where his condition is said to be critical. He underwent a blood transfusion and surgery to his legs.

The car with the two inside burst into flames after impact with the older man’s vehicle ending up some 20ft away.

Firefighters from Newton Abbot eventually managed to get the one survivor out of his crumpled car by using hydraulic cutting gear. He had been slipping in and out of consciousness throughout the ordeal.

A fire spokesman said the car blaze nearby was quickly extinguished within a minute by hosereel jet.

A firefighter at the scene was it was ‘extremely unusual’ for any vehicle to burst into flames to such devastating effect after colliding.

It’s understood the young men had been travelling towards Chudleigh when their car collided with the Newton Abbot-bound Jaguar.

One of the cars suffered side-impact damage while the other received damage to the front.

Police said this morning that formal identification of the two fatalities had yet to be officially confirmed.

Officers did say that next of kin of the pair had been informed.

A spokesman confirmed the vehicles were travelling in opposite directions when they collided. Emergency services were alerted at 5.45pm. Police were first on scene followed quickly by Newton Abbot fire crews and then paramedics, including the air ambulance.

Anyone with information about the accident should contact the police’s Serious Collisions Unit by email on [email protected], quoting log 771 of August 27.

Two men comforted the survivor while he was cut from the wreckage, a job which took about three-quarters-of-an-hour.

The casualty was sedated with painkillers.

Chudleigh town and district councillor Richard Keeling said this afternoon: ‘It’s always sad to hear about fatal road accidents, particularly when those involved are so young.

‘Our thoughts go out to their families. We’ve had a few losses in the town recently of some longer standing residents. But it’s the loss of our young which is always particularly upsetting. They had a whole life in front of them.’

The South Devon coroner has been informed. An inquest is expected to open later this week to take formal evidence of identity.

The hearing will then be adjourned for the collection of evidence for a full inquest, possibly later in the year.

Police investigators closed the road for 12 hours to carry out a detailed forensic examination of the tragic scene.