HARTFORD — A Monday evening vehicle collision causing a fire on Route 4 killed two people at the scene and seriously injured one person.
Upon arrival by members of the Hartford Fire Department, a Ford Mustang was fully engulfed in flames and a Kia Sorento was partially on fire, according to a Tuesday news release.
Emergency personnel were unable to rescue the driver of the Ford.
“The operator was found deceased when the fire was extinguished,” the release stated.
Personnel also could not access the passenger in the Kia due to the vehicle position and heat and smoke from the fire. After extinguishing the fire, they determined that the individual was deceased.
Around 7:15 p.m. on Nov. 2, Hartford Police and Fire responded to the two-vehicle crash involving a sedan and an SUV between Quechee Main Street and Deweys Mills Road. It occurred closest to Severance Drive, which is on a curve, Lt. Will Furnari, of the police department’s community outreach division, said Tuesday by phone.
Police determined that the Kia had been traveling west in the westbound lane of travel before coming into a position of “uncontrolled rest against the guardrail,” according to the press release.
“The Ford was positioned sideways in the westbound lane of travel and marks on the scene showed the Ford slid sideways into the Kia,” the release stated.
Furnari declined to provide further information about the three people involved in the crash.
“At this point, I believe the identities of our two deceased victims are not positive,” said Furnari.
The Office of the Chief Medical examiner is conducting autopsies, Furnari said.
The Kia operator, who had exited the vehicle by the time police arrived, suffered serious injuries and was transported to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center from the scene, according to the press release. Their current condition was unknown as of Tuesday afternoon, said Furnari.
The Ford had significant fire damage, and the Kia had significant front-end damage, Furnari said. Officials shut down Woodstock Road for approximately four hours.
Two Vermont State Police troopers arrived on scene, said Furnari, but Hartford Police remain as the primary investigating agency.
Several other agencies assisted Hartford Police and Fire, including the Hartford Department of Public Works, Woodstock Police and Fire Departments, Vermont Agency of Transportation, Windsor Police Department and Lebanon Police Department, according to the release.
The crash remains under investigation. The Valley News will update as more information becomes available.
