7-year-old climbs out of car wreck to flag help after fatal crash in Washington

One person was killed and three children were injured after car crashed in Washington state, with one of the children climbing out of the wreck and flagging down help.

The car crashed about 50 feet off the road shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday and was found 15 feet down an embankment "with scattered rocks across the road of travel" by rescue crews in Kelso, a city about 130 miles south of Seattle, right by the Oregon border, Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue said.

Authorities said one of the children, age 7, was able to get out of the crashed car, climb up the embankment and seek help by flagging down a passing motorist, who alerted 911.

1 dead, 3 others injured in Washington state crash

Crews had to use hydraulic extrication tools to "cut two occupants out of the car," authorities said.

A man was declared dead at the scene, while a 9-year-old was flown to a hospital in Portland “for multiple injuries from a car rollover.” Two other children, ages 2 and 7, were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. An update on their conditions was not immediately available.

Fire officials are unsure of the cause of the accident, the fire dept. said, adding Washington State Police is investigating the incident.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.