Two Accidents Snarl Rt. 140 North Traffic in New Bedford

UPDATE (7:50 AM) - Both accidents on Rt. 140 northbound at Exit 5 have been cleared. No serious injuries have been reported.

An additional rollover occurred in the southbound lanes near Exit 5 earlier this morning, as well. No serious injuries resulted from that accident, either.

Exit 5 has been reopened.

Original Story (6:50 AM) - Two separate accidents were reported on Rt. 140 northbound in New Bedford Tuesday morning, snarling traffic for the better part of an hour.

State Police say the first accident involved two vehicles, one of them catching fire and coming to rest in the ditch near Exit 5 with the driver trapped in the car. New Bedford firefighters quickly arrived and extinguished the flames, with the driver escaping serious injury.

As emergency responders continued to make their way to the scene of the first crash, a three-car collision took place in the same area in the northbound lanes of Rt. 140. No serious injuries have been reported, though at least two ambulances were called to the scene of both crashes.

The left lane of Rt. 140 northbound is open, and the accidents are being cleared.

We'll have more information as it becomes available.