A 2005 Mini Cooper caught fire after it hit a vehicle in the rear on Route 1 in Newcastle.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said Route 1 traffic was disrupted for about an hour after the crash, which was reported at 9:34 a.m. Tuesday.

Police said that Teresa Burch, 64, of Damariscotta was driving the Mini Cooper when she failed to notice that a vehicle in front of her, driven by Leigh Tilden, 71, of Damariscotta, had come to a stop as Tilden tried to re-enter Route 1 southbound traffic.

Burch’s vehicle caught fire, but she and her dog escaped before the car became engulfed in flames. Tilden and his passenger, Katherine Garren, 70, of Damariscotta, who were in a 2012 Subaru station wagon, were not injured.

Everyone involved in the crash was wearing seat belts.


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