Two people were killed in a head-on collision along Route 180 in Clifton on Wednesday morning, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office said.
Officers arrived at the scene shortly after 10 a.m., where they found a large SUV and a smaller “SUV-style vehicle.” The former had caught fire by the time crews arrived, the office said in a written statement.
Details about those killed were not available Wednesday.
An early investigation indicated that the larger vehicle was traveling at high speed when it crossed the center line and struck the smaller vehicle, the office said.
The larger car rolled several times before catching fire, the office said. The front of the smaller car, which was forced off the road during the crash, was significantly damaged.
Both vehicles’ drivers were killed in the crash, the office said. There did not appear to be any other occupants in either vehicle.
“First Responders initially thought there may be additional occupants, but due to the fire and extensive damage, it could not be immediately determined,” the office said.
The crash remains under investigation by the sheriff’s office. The Eddington and Holden Fire Departments, the Maine Department of Transportation and the Department of Environmental Protection all assisted on the scene.
Route 180, known locally as Rebel Hill Road, was closed for several hours Wednesday but reopened in late afternoon, the office said. Clifton, a town of roughly 800, is about 10 miles east of Bangor.
