Multiple-car crash and fire close Route 1 in South Brunswick

SOUTH BRUNSWICK — A three-car crash and a car fire closed Route 1 in Middlesex County on Tuesday morning.

Police Lt. Gene Rickel told New Jersey 101.5 that a vehicle T-boned another at New Road around 10 a.m. The vehicle then continued moving forward and struck a third vehicle, which was stopped for a red light and caught fire, according to Rickel.

Video of the crash scene posted to Twitter by News 12 New Jersey's Don Smith showed a heavily damaged minivan in the left lane of the northbound lanes just past the traffic light and an SUV damaged on the southbound side.

The driver of the vehicle that caught fire was freed by fire and police and hospitalized for traumatic injuries. The other two drivers were not injured.

Traffic was diverted onto New Road during a crash investigation. The road was reopened around 1 p.m..

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ