Two people died in separate vehicular incidents Thursday in Mahoning Township.

Township police Chief Audie Mertz said that at 11:43 a.m., witnesses reported a vehicle that was on fire at the entrance to Packerton Yards.

“When the fire department was putting the fire out, they discovered a body in the front seat,” Mertz said.

Carbon County Coroner Robert Miller confirmed that a man died, but could not release his identity as an autopsy was being performed earlier this morning.

Mertz said the incident is under investigation, as they are awaiting the results of the autopsy.

He said the Mahoning Valley Fire Department, Lehighton Fire Department, Lehighton Police Department, Lehighton Ambulance, Carbon County Detective’s Office, Carbon County Coroner’s Office, state police fire marshal and Hazleton State Police R&I assisted at the scene.

Three car-crash

A few hours later at 2:50 p.m., one person died after a three-car crash on top of the Mansion House.

Mertz said the incident occurred while two of the vehicles were headed toward Lehighton and another vehicle was headed toward Jim Thorpe.

A white Ford Escape went over the guide rail.

The passenger in the Escape was flown by Life Flight to St. Luke’s Bethlehem, where she died. The driver of the vehicle was taken to the St. Luke’s Carbon Campus.

Lehigh County Coroner Eric Minnich confirmed that a woman died, but could not release her identity as an autopsy was being performed earlier this morning.

Minnich said following the autopsy, the woman’s name, along with additional information would be released.

Mertz said the driver of a Nissan Pathfinder going toward Jim Thorpe was taken to St. Luke’s Carbon Campus.

He said the driver of the other vehicle was not injured.

Mertz said the crash is still under investigation, and police ask anyone that may have witnessed it to call the township police department at 570-386-2241.

He said the Mansion House opened back up to traffic at 5:35 p.m.

Mertz said assisting at the scene were the Mahoning Valley Fire Department, Lehighton Fire Department, Jim Thorpe Fire Department, Lehighton Ambulance (which had four trucks on scene), Jim Thorpe Police Department, Life Flight 6 helicopter, Hazleton State Police R&I assisted at the scene.

When the car went over the guide rail, Mertz said it was on the edge of an embankment.

“All Points Towing was close to the scene (due to the earlier incident) and they were able to respond quickly to secure the car so that it didn’t slide over the embankment any further,” he said.