SALEM -- Two people were killed and two others injured in a crash involving three vehicles on Highway 51 west of Salem Friday morning.

The crash happened about one mile south of the Highway 22 junction just before 7 a.m.

Investigators said a car traveling southbound on Highway 51 near milepost 1 slid broadside into the northbound lane where it was struck by an oncoming pickup truck.

The car caught fire and the two people inside could not be saved, police said.

As for the pickup, the impact of the crash caused the canopy to eject into the air and then it hit another oncoming car.

The driver of the pickup and the driver of the second car were both injured and transported to Salem Hospital.

No names have been released but police said the victims appeared to be in their 20s or early 30s and at least one of them was a man.

Highway 51 was re-opened just before 11:30 a.m., after the investigation was completed.