MANCHESTER — A New Hampshire State Trooper, off-duty and on his way home, was among the first to respond to a vehicle fire Thursday afternoon on 293 Southbound, where a driver was rescued from a burning van.
The incident occurred at mile marker 9.2, approximately two miles south of the I-93 junction.
The trooper, along with Manchester Fire Department and AMR ambulance personnel, responded to the report of the vehicle in the woods around 3 p.m.
Upon arrival, the state trooper quickly removed the driver, who was the sole occupant of the van, from the area of the engulfed vehicle.
Medical aid was administered as fire and EMS crews, along with additional troopers, arrived shortly before 3 p.m. The right lane of the highway was closed while firefighters extinguished the blaze.
The victim, pulled from the van, sustained serious injuries that were initially assessed at the scene as life-threatening.
A trauma alert was issued at Elliot Hospital, and the patient was expedited to the medical facility for treatment.
New Hampshire State Police are leading the investigation into the accident.
Preliminary findings suggest the van was the only vehicle involved in the incident.
State Police continue to examine all aspects of the accident as the investigation unfolds.
