MERRIMACK, NH — A five-vehicle accident, with one vehicle catching on fire, temporarily shut down the northbound lanes of F.E. Everett Turnpike on Tuesday while crews extricated a man from the burning car.

Merrimack Fire, police, and New Hampshire State Police received multiple reports just before 9 a.m. of cars involved in an accident in the northbound and southbound lanes in the area of Exit 12. Callers reported one vehicle was on fire and a man was trapped inside the vehicle.

When responders arrived, they found a car that had been pieced by a guardrail with a man trapped inside. Bystanders had used fire extinguishers to put out the engine compartment fire. An off-duty Manchester firefighter, who was first at the scene, broke windows to access the man and began administering medical attention to him.

Merrimack firefighters used hydraulic spreading and cutting tools to remove the roof and doors to gain access to the patient. While working to extricate the man, additional personnel evaluated people from four northbound vehicles that were involved in the crash.

After about 25 minutes, the man was removed from the vehicle and rushed to Elliot Hospital with serious injuries. Several occupants of the vehicles on the northbound side of the turnpike were treated at the scene, and some were transported with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening.

State police routed traffic off the Exit 12 northbound ramp and eventually opened one northbound lane. Traffic was backed up several miles beyond Exit 11. Southbound traffic backed up to the Bedford toll plaza.

NH DOT brought several people to the scene to assist with traffic and also a front loader to help remove the vehicle from the guardrail.

State police are on scene at this time investigating the accident, and travelers should expect heavy delays in the area.

Merrimack NH Patch will update as additional information becomes available.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news