SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Two people suffered life-threatening injuries and four others were hurt when a pickup truck and a car collided at the intersection of Route 8 and Branchton Road early this morning.

Fire Chief Ken Taggart said two victims were taken from the scene to the Unionville Volunteer Fire Department and flown by medical helicopter to regional hospitals in critical condition.

The four other victims were taken by ambulance to Butler Memorial Hospital and the Grove City Medical Center.

A black pickup truck reportedly struck the driver’s side of a silver car at the intersection about 4:45 a.m. Taggart said five people were in the car.

The Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Department used extrication tools on the car, Taggart said.

Two of the backseat passengers suffered the life threatening injuries. Taggart said the other four people suffered injuries, but none were in critical condition.

The car crashed into a grassy hillside facing west along Branchton Road following the collision. The pickup truck stopped facing northbound in a ditch on the southbound side of Route 8.

Flashing caution lights direct traffic at the intersection, with Branchton Road traffic responsible for yielding to Route 8 vehicles.

The identities of the victims were not available at the scene, nor was a cause of the accident.

Traffic was stopped in both directions on both routes for multiple hours following the crash while state police conducted an investigation.

The stretch of Route 8 is open to local traffic only due to a state Department of Transportation bridge replacement project about 4 miles south of the intersection.

Butler and Superior ambulances assisted at the scene.