Two people were confirmed dead and three others injured following a rollover crash on Interstate 195 in New Bedford, an incident that has prompted an investigation by Massachusetts State Police. The accident, which occurred during Friday's rush hour around 9:35 a.m. near Exit 24A, resulted in the eastbound lanes being littered with debris, according to footage from NBC Boston.

The vehicle, said to be carrying five people, appeared to have rolled over for reasons yet to be confidently explained by police. In the immediate wake of the tragedy, two lanes of the highway were shut to allow for an investigation to commence, a detail reported by NBC Boston. The three hospitalized survivors' conditions were not immediately clear, but they were urgently taken to a local hospital.

While the identities of the two individuals who perished at the scene have not been released, authorities are likely working closely with family members before making such details public. WCVB notes that the crash remains under investigation as state troopers and officials seek to piece together the incident's causality.

Traffic flow was significantly affected, with the middle and right lanes of I-195 East being closed, causing backups and delays as drivers were rerouted or forced to slowly navigate the accident scene. Boston 25 News reported that following the rollover, the local traffic patterns had to be adjusted to ensure not just the safety of bypassing motorists, but also to provide the necessary space for first responders to efficiently carry out their duties.