LAUREL, Md. - Two people were killed and four others were hospitalized after a fiery two-vehicle crash early Saturday on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway near MD-197 in Prince George's County, according to an updated account from U.S. Park Police.
The fatalities were confirmed Sunday, adding significant new information to earlier reports that had described multiple people as critically injured but had not confirmed any deaths.
Officers responded at approximately 2:50 a.m. Saturday to the northbound lanes of the parkway near MD-197, also known as Laurel Bowie Road.
A preliminary investigation found that one vehicle struck another vehicle from behind before rolling over and catching fire, according to information attributed to U.S. Park Police in the latest reports.
The driver and a passenger in the vehicle that rolled over were pronounced dead at the scene. Four other occupants of that vehicle were transported to area hospitals. Police said one of those patients had life-threatening injuries in the latest Sunday update.
The occupants of the other vehicle were not injured.
Fatalities confirmed after initial reports
The updated casualty information changes the understanding of the crash from what authorities and local news organizations reported Saturday.
Initial reports said four people had been transported to hospitals, three with life-threatening injuries. NBC Washington reported Saturday that U.S. Park Police had not confirmed any fatalities at that point.
By Sunday afternoon, police had confirmed that two additional people had died at the scene, while four others were hospitalized. WJLA published the fatality update at 12:27 p.m. Sunday and updated its report at 12:41 p.m.
The identities and ages of the two people who died had not been publicly released in the latest reports. Police also had not released identifying information about the hospitalized occupants.
It was not immediately clear whether the condition of the person who remained critically injured had changed since the Sunday update.
Northbound parkway was closed during response
The collision resulted in a rollover and vehicle fire, prompting an extended emergency response and closure of the northbound Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
Authorities closed the northbound lanes at Powder Mill Road while police investigated and crews worked at the scene. The closure affected traffic through the Prince George's County corridor during part of Saturday.
The Baltimore-Washington Parkway is a 29-mile route connecting the Washington and Baltimore areas. The National Park Service says U.S. Park Police patrol the parkway and handle emergencies and law enforcement on the federally managed portion of the road.
The crash occurred near MD-197 in the Laurel area, a heavily traveled portion of the parkway between Washington and the Baltimore region.
Investigation continues
The preliminary finding that one vehicle struck the other from behind establishes the sequence investigators currently believe occurred, but it does not by itself establish why the collision happened.
Authorities had not publicly identified a cause as of the latest update. There was no public determination regarding speed, impairment, distraction, mechanical failure or other potential contributing factors.
Police also had not announced any criminal charges or indicated that charges were expected.
Those questions remain part of the investigation. Additional evidence could include physical evidence from the roadway and vehicles, witness accounts, electronic vehicle information or other material collected by investigators.
The most important new development Sunday is the confirmation that the crash was fatal. Two people in the vehicle that rolled over and burned died at the scene, four other occupants were hospitalized, and one of those patients remained in life-threatening condition in the latest publicly reported update.
U.S. Park Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision. Additional information, including the identities of the people killed and any determination about what caused the crash, had not been publicly released as of Sunday afternoon.