THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Police and firefighters say the 53-year-old driver of a Tesla electric car died when the vehicle smashed into a tree in the central Dutch town of Baarn and burst into flames.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident Wednesday morning and Tesla says in a statement it is helping.

The U.S.-based electric auto maker says "we are working with the authorities to establish the facts of the incident and offer our full cooperation." Tesla says it will share its findings, "as soon as possible following the investigation."

Ronald Boer, a spokesman for emergency services, says firefighters did not immediately recover the man's body because of fears that emergency service workers could be electrocuted.