CANDIA — An Auburn man died Wednesday morning after his SUV crashed into a parked dump truck and caught fire on Route 101 eastbound.
Alexander C. Smith, 25, was pronounced dead at the scene after the 6:01 a.m. crash near mile marker 67.2, New Hampshire State Police said.
State troopers responded to an automatic crash notification from a cellphone and 911 calls from passing drivers reporting the collision between an SUV and dump truck.
The calls indicated the SUV was on fire with the driver trapped inside.
Troopers arrived to find several good Samaritans had removed Smith from the burning 2019 Nissan Rogue.
Smith was the lone occupant of the SUV, police said.
The 2001 Mack dump truck was unoccupied and parked on the paved right shoulder due to a mechanical problem when Smith’s vehicle collided with its rear.
Troopers and good Samaritans rendered aid to Smith until emergency medical services arrived.
Fire personnel extinguished the vehicle fire.
The New Hampshire State Police Collision Analysis & Reconstruction Unit and Unmanned Aerial Systems Unit responded to assist with the investigation.
All eastbound lanes of Route 101 were closed for approximately three and a half hours while crews investigated and cleared debris.
Traffic was diverted off Exit 3 until the scene was cleared and all lanes reopened at 9:33 a.m.
Multiple agencies assisted at the scene, including Candia police and fire departments, Auburn police and fire departments, Raymond Fire Department, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation.
The crash remains under investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper Kevin LeDoux at [email protected].
