A man was hospitalized in "very critical" condition after firefighters cut him out of a burning car that crashed early Friday at a north Minneapolis intersection.

The motorist, who was the lone occupant of the vehicle, was driving on Hwy. 55 at Bryant Avenue N. when he crashed at 12:24 a.m., police said.

Police officers tried to extricate the man from the car, which had burst into flames, but were unsuccessful. Firefighters arrived and were able cut the victim from the wreckage, police said.

The driver, whose name has not been released, was taken by ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he was in "very critical" condition, police said.