News

Actions

7 motorcyclists are dead after colliding with a pickup truck in New Hampshire

Posted at 10:40 PM, Jun 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-23 00:40:18-04

RANDOLPH, N.H. – Seven motorcyclists were killed and three others injured when they collided with a pickup truck going the opposite direction in New Hampshire, police said.

Authorities received a call around 6:30 p.m. Friday about a motor vehicle crash on Route 2 in Randolph, New Hampshire State Police Capt. Chris Vetter said.

The pickup truck, a 2016 Dodge 2500, was traveling west on Route 2 while the motorcyclists were traveling east, police said.

Seven people died at the scene and three others were taken to hospitals. Vetter could not provide information on the condition of those injured or the identities of the victims.

State police collision analysis and reconstruction teams are investigating the crash, along with local police and the Coos County Attorney’s Office.

“The scene is pretty large and there’s a lot of work to be done,” Vetter said. “I don’t know that I have ever seen a crash with this much loss of life. It was a pretty significant accident.”

The National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday on Twitter it will send a team to conduct a safety investigation.

Route 2 was reopened to traffic Saturday, according to CNN affiliate WMUR.

‘Motorcycles dumped all over the road’

Miranda Thompson was a few cars behind the crash. She told WMUR she saw “motorcycles dumped all over the road.”

“You could see people on the phone frantically calling, people pacing back and forth and just, they were lost,” she told the affiliate. “Everybody got out of their car and helped, got blankets and first-aid kits. Everyone went into action and just helped.”

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu shared his condolences Friday night.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and first responders who answered the call. State officials are on the scene and assisting as the situation develops,” he tweeted.