UPDATE: Two Killed in Fiery Crash on Highway 169
**This story has been updated from a previous version published Monday at 3:48 p.m.**
The Minnesota State Patrol says two people were killed in a fatal crash that occurred on Highway 169 in Brooklyn Park late Monday morning.
The crash happened at around 11:30 a.m. Monday on northbound 169, between 101st and 109th avenues, close to the Champlin border. Police say multiple people in one of the vehicles were killed.
“The vehicles involved were fully engulfed in flames which led to the death of occupants of one of the vehicles,” read an alert sent out by Brooklyn Park police.
According to the State Patrol, a pickup truck driven by a 55-year-old Maple Grove man slammed into the back of an SUV in front of him as traffic was stopped. The impact of the crash started a fire with plumes of smoke seen at least a mile away. The occupants in the SUV, a man and a woman, both died.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the identities of the deceased had not been released.
The driver of the pickup was taken to North Memorial Health Hospital for a non-life threatening injury.
Published reports, citing Department of Public of Safety officials, stated that the pickup truck driver was driving with a suspended license. CCX News did not immediately hear back from the State Patrol about the possibility of charges.
The northbound lanes were closed for about four hours Monday due to the crash.
Northbound Highway 169 was closed for several hours Monday.
