Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS

MERRIMACK – The Everett Turnpike crash early Thursday morning that claimed the lives of two as-yet unidentified individuals appears to be “head-on in nature,” according to state police, an indication that one of the drivers may have been traveling the wrong way on the turnpike.

But police also say there are no witnesses to the crash, or the events leading up to the crash, according to a statement.

Troopers from the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Team are processing the scene in order to determine exactly how the crash occurred, police added.

The operators of both vehicles were pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash, which police said occurred in the southbound lanes near mile marker 16.6, close to the Bedford-Merrimack town line.

Police have not yet released the names or ages of the crash victims.

About 12:15 a.m., several calls began coming in to 911 for a two-vehicle crash on the turnpike. While police, firefighters and ambulance personnel from Bedford and Merrimack were responding, they were advised there were two people trapped in vehicles, and one of the vehicles was on fire. The first Merrimack Police officer who arrived at the scene said he could not access the victims due to the intense fire.

It was immediately determined neither driver survived the accident.

Police requested the accident reconstruction team and the medical examiner to the scene. At about 2:15 a.m., two hearses were seen leaving the accident scene.

The highway remained shut down for several hours for the on-scene investigation.

–Submitted by Jeffrey Hastings

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