1 dies in crash on Route 24 in West Bridgewater; another crash snarls traffic

WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — Two separate crashes on Route 24 south in West Bridgewater -- one of them fatal -- happened in the same area near Route 106 early Wednesday morning.

A car caught fire after a four-vehicle crash on Route 24 south in West Bridgewater around 7 a.m. and caused delays in both directions during the morning commute.

The crash happened just was just south of Route 106, and one car became engulfed by fire, according to Dave Procopio, a Massachusetts State Police spokesman. All southbound lanes were temporarily closed to traffic while firefighters put out the fire and were reopened around 7:30 a.m.

Sky 25 caught footage of the burning vehicle as crews were working to put out the fire. Commuters are advised to seek alternate routes.

A crash in the same general area as the car fire happened earlier in the morning around 2:20 a.m. and resulted in one fatality, according to Procopio.

Troopers responded to reports of a crash about a mile south of Route 106 on the southbound side and found a car that had crashed into the back of box truck in the right travel lane, Procopio said. State Police say the box truck was merging from the breakdown lane into the right lane of travel in front of the car. Police say the car was unable to slow down enough and collided with the box truck.

The driver of the car was trapped inside the car and was pronounced dead at the scene from his injuries, he said. He has been identified as 46-year-old Dwayne Williams of Taunton.

The driver of the box truck, a 71-year-old Whitman man was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

State Police are investigating the fatal crash, which was cleared around 7 a.m.

Cox Media Group