A van slammed into a pole in downtown Kitchener Friday night, before bursting into flames.

Viewer video taken just moments after the collision shows witnesses rushing to the vehicle, opening the doors and pulling the people out onto the sidewalk.

gaukel charles crash kitchener van

Flames then erupted at the front-end of the van, sending thick smoke into the air.

The crash happened on Gaukel Street near the Charles Street bus terminal.

gaukel charles kitchener crash

Brendan Fischer saw the crash from across the street.

“I turned around and saw it speeding past, plowing into there… I didn’t know what to do.”

Several witnesses tell CTV News the vehicle was travelling at a high rate of speed before the crash.

gaukel charles kitchener crash

Police have confirmed that multiple people were inside the van.

They say there were serious injuries, but it’s not clear how many people were hurt.

Police have shut down the area surrounding the crash scene.

A previous version of this story stated that the van had hit the building.