One Dead Following Burning SUV Crash on Route 101 in Candia, NH
CANDIA, NH – A 25-year-old man died after being rescued from a burning SUV following a crash on Route 101 East Wednesday morning.
According to the Candia Fire Department, emergency responders were called to the scene at 6:05 a.m. Reports indicated a collision between a tractor-trailer and another vehicle, with one person trapped inside a burning SUV. Mutual aid was requested from the Auburn and Raymond fire departments due to the severity of the incident.
Witnesses noted that ammunition might be in the vehicles, leading to reports of explosions during the fire. Firefighters arrived to find a four-door sedan that had collided with the rear of a dump truck, which was parked due to mechanical issues. The SUV was fully engulfed in flames.
Bystanders had successfully pulled the unresponsive driver, identified as Alexander C. Smith from Auburn, from the vehicle before emergency personnel arrived. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Complications arose from a ruptured fuel tank, resulting in several tire explosions. Firefighters reported no findings of ammunition at the scene.
Once the fire was extinguished and the area deemed secure, the scene was handed over to State Police. Candia firefighters remained to assist with traffic and the reopening of Route 101.
“The department commends the courageous bystanders who, putting their own safety aside, acted swiftly to rescue the occupant from the vehicle,” stated the Candia Fire Department.