Police are investigating after a fiery two-vehicle crash left two people dead and five others injured in Rochester, New York, early New Year's Day
ROCHESTER, New York– Police were investigating after a fiery two-vehicle crash killed two people and injured five others in Rochester, New York, early on New Year's Day, officials said.
The crash happened shortly before 1 a.m. Monday while officers were directing traffic after a concert at the Kodak Center theater complex, police said in a statement.
A Ford Expedition struck a Mitsubishi Outlander, sending both vehicles “through a group of pedestrians who were in the crosswalk,” the statement said.
The collision caused an explosion and a large fire, which took firefighters more than an hour to extinguish.
After the flames were extinguished, firefighters found “at least a dozen gasoline canisters in and around” the Expedition, the police statement said. That prompted police to call in an arson team and alert the FBI, police said.
Police said two passengers in the Outlander were killed and the driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the expedition was hospitalized with serious injuries. Three pedestrians who were struck were also taken to hospitals, one of whom was in critical condition.
Detectives have asked witnesses or people who have information to contact the police.
Rochester is located about 347 miles (547 kilometers) northwest of Manhattan.