Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS Londonderry firefighters douse the fire that had engufled the vehicle after it crashed into trees Friday night, claiming the life of 17-year-old Jacob Naar. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

LONDONDERRY – The tragic, sudden loss of popular Londonderry High School athlete Jacob Naar, who was killed in a single-vehicle crash Friday night, has cast a pall of sadness over not only the school and athletics community, but across the entire town as well.

Social media sites have been inundated since early Saturday with messages mourning the death of the 17-year-old, who police said was driving on Hardy Road when he apparently lost control of his vehicle, which struck a tree near the intersection of Hardy and Hovey roads and burst into flames.

Police officers and firefighters were notified on their way to the scene that callers were reporting a car “fully engulfed in flames,” but it was unknown at that point whether anyone was in the car.

After fire crews knocked down the flames, however, first-responders confirmed one person was in the vehicle and was deceased.

Gusty winds had begun spreading the fire to small trees and brush in the immediate area, but firefighters were able to extingush them in short order.

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS Police and fire investigators work at the scene of Friday night's crash that claimed the life of Londonderry teen Jacob Naar. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

David Lundgren, a state representative whose local chiropractic office treats many Londonderry High athletes, recalled Naar as “one of the most polite, happy kids” who brought “a joyful presence” into Lundgren’s office.

“My heart is heavy hearing of the loss of such a great person as Jake Naar,” Lundgren wrote.

Naar, of 3 Westminster Drive, was one of three Londonderry High football players named to last season’s CHaD East-West all-star game, the summertime game played each year to benefit the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth.

Meanwhile, police said the investigation into the crash is ongoing, and they ask anyone who may have any information that could help investigators to contact Detective Junior Garcia at 425-5924 or atngarcia@londonderrynhpd.org.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS The burned-out shell of the vehicle in which Londonderry teen Jacob Naar was killed Friday night sits on the side of Hardy Road as police conducted their on-scene investigation. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)