ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Police in Rochester, New York, are investigating a tragic two-vehicle collision that occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to five others. The incident took place shortly before 1 a.m. as officers were directing traffic following a concert at the Kodak Center theater complex, according to a police statement.
A Ford Expedition collided with a Mitsubishi Outlander, propelling both vehicles “through a group of pedestrians that were in the crosswalk,” causing a fiery explosion and large blaze that took the fire department more than an hour to extinguish.
Following the fire’s containment, authorities discovered “at least a dozen gasoline canisters in and around” the Expedition, leading to the involvement of an arson team and notification of the FBI, police said.
Tragically, two passengers in the Outlander lost their lives, while the driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The Expedition’s driver was hospitalized with critical injuries, and three pedestrians were also injured, one of them in critical condition.
Rochester, located approximately 340 miles northwest of Manhattan, remains in shock over the devastating incident as investigators seek witnesses and information pertaining to the collision.