Beloved former news anchor Tom Brokaw narrowly escaped injury after he was caught up in a three-scar smash in New York which claimed the life of a 30-year-old motorist.

The ex-NBC newsreader and his wife were traveling on the Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx on Friday, when a fellow driver swerved to miss a rogue spool of cable which had bounced into the road from a moving vehicle.

The female driver flipped the car and collided with a mail truck, which smashed into the veteran reporter's car.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, while the mailman was left needing hospital treatment. Brokaw and his wife were uninjured following the incident.

In a statement, Brokaw says he and his partner, Meredith, are "greatly saddened by this loss of life."

Police are still investigating the accident.

The 69 year old retired from his TV duties in 2004, and was subsequently replaced by Brian Williams.

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)