Maine State Police say traffic along Interstate 295 in Brunswick was halted over the weekend after a car fire led to two separate crashes involving a total of seven other vehicles.
The Portland Press Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1YPLxTL ) Trooper Andre Paradis was dispatched to the car fire near Exit 28 around 3:45 p.m. Sunday, but he was immediately redirected to a five-car accident south of the blaze.
As Paradis was headed to the first reported crash, he encountered the second accident involving two vehicles while traveling north.
Paradis says motorists were slowing down ahead of the car fire and a chain reaction can start when one person doesn't stop in time.
Five out of the seven cars involved in the accidents were totaled. No injuries were reported.
