Four people have died and another has been hospitalized after a tragic car accident involving two Utes.
Police were called around 6:45 a.m. Friday after reports of an accident during heavy rain on the Barton Highway near Casuarina Lane in Murrumbateman, New south Wales‘, north of Canberra.
The road has been closed in both directions since around 7am after the ACT and NSW emergency services, including three rescue helicopters, rushed to the scene.
Upon arrival at the scene, the Hume Police District found that a Ford Ranger pickup and a Mitsubishi Triton pickup had collided.
“The driver and male passenger of the Mitsubishi, and a male driver and male passenger in the Ford died at the scene,” New South Wales Police said in a statement.
They have not been formally identified.
Easter weekend is off to a scary start after two cars collided at around 6:45am Friday on the Barton Highway, leaving four people dead and another injured and in hospital.
Another male passenger in the Ford was treated by NSW Ambulance at the scene and was taken to hospital in unknown condition.
So far the ages of those involved in the accident are unknown.
The NSW Fire and Rescue Department was trying to “eliminate” several passengers who were trapped in the rubble at around 8:30am.
A crime scene has been established and police are conducting investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
As inquiries continue, anyone with dashcam vision or further information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Emergency services, including three rescue helicopters, rushed to the scene around 7am and closed the Barton Highway in both directions soon after.
The emergency services had to “cut” several passengers who were trapped in the wreckage around 8:30 a.m.
The emergency services have urged Easter travelers to avoid the road as it might be closed in both directions for some time.
Traffic NSW has advised those traveling south to detour onto Murrumbateman Road and Sutton Road and join the Federal Highway in Canberra.
Those traveling north from Canberra on the Federal Highway should use Sutton Road and connect to Murrumbateman Road to avoid the collision and join Barton Highway.
Easter travelers are urged to avoid the Barton Highway near Murrumbateman in New South Wales, just north of Canberra, as the highway will be closed “for some time”.
Instead, travelers are urged to use the Federal Highway to avoid the incident.