Two separate crashes involving car fires shut down a northbound stretch of the Merritt Parkway for hours Tuesday night. The first crash happened around 10:15 p.m. near exit 13, where a car became engulfed in flames. State police said serious injuries were reported.
A second crash occurred shortly before midnight near exit 10. Police said a state police cruiser with its emergency lights on was parked in the roadway to block traffic from the earlier crash when another vehicle struck it. The cruiser became engulfed in flames.
The trooper was not inside the cruiser at the time. The other driver was taken to a hospital with injuries described as non‑life‑threatening.
Northbound lanes were closed for an extended period while crews cleared both scenes.