Driver left dead after explosions

An unidentified female died Tuesday in a car explosion, according to a Columbia Police Department news release. The car was heading southbound and stopped at a stop sign at Pannell and Smith streets.

Witnesses say they heard a loud explosion and then noticed that the passenger compartment of the vehicle was on fire. Police say the car continued southbound on Powell St., collided with a utility pole and exploded again.

The driver was the only occupant of the vehicle. Her identity is unknown. The incident is under investigation.