Three People Killed In Route 101 Crash That Closed Highway For Hours

CANDIA, NH — New Hampshire State Police, Candia, Auburn, and Raymond Fire responded to a report of a head-on crash on Route 101 at Mile Marker 69 near the Depot Road overpass Saturday.

While en route to the scene just before 12:30 p.m., multiple patients were reported, and a Boston MedFlight helicopter was requested to the scene.

Firefighters asked for the highway to be closed in both directions due to the helicopter and a large amount of apparatus.

Once an assessment of the victims was complete, the helicopter was canceled. Route 101 traffic backed up for miles in both directions.

State police eventually allowed westbound traffic to turn around in the median and head east to get off the highway. After over an hour of clearing westbound traffic, eastbound was opened. Immediately after 101 East was opened, a rear-end collision occurred near exit 3 in Candia, causing one vehicle to roll over. The highway was again shut down eastbound for that incident.

A pickup truck and another vehicle crashed in the eastbound lane. The pickup crossed the median and struck a large SUV head-on in the westbound lane near the Depot Rd overpass. The impact pushed the SUV into a swampy area on the side of 101.

Authorities confirm three people died, two at the scene, and a third person succumbed to injuries after being transported to the Elliot Hospital. Two other people had non-life-threatening injuries.

We are awaiting official information from state police and will provide updates as they are available.