AUBURN – Traffic came to an abrupt halt on Route 4 on Monday afternoon after two vehicles collided, sending two men to the hospital and backing up traffic for more than an hour.

Norman Enman, 64, of Auburn was traveling north on Route 4 when he put on his left turn signal to turn into East Auburn Lumber Road where he lives, police said. An empty Mountain Hollow Farms box truck driven by Don Williams 52, of Livermore Falls, was traveling in the same lane, and failed to stop for the turning Enman, according to police. The box truck rear-ended the 2000 Chevrolet pickup sending it approximately 125 feet, Auburn police Lt. Tim Cougle said.

The pickup was nearly folded in half by the impact. The box truck came to a rest blocking two lanes. Two lanes remained opened – one northbound and one southbound – to emergency vehicles, but police prevented regular traffic from using either one.

Debris covered the road, and traffic was backed up more than a mile in both directions.

Fluids leaked from the box truck and onto the pavement.

Firefighters cleaned the leak while police halted traffic.

Some traffic was re-routed back down Route 4 heading south, but eventually all roads surrounding Route 4 were closed to all traffic, police said.

Cougle said traffic was backed up for so long because of the extent of the mess in the roads. Spills had to be cleaned, vehicles had to be removed and people had to be taken to the hospital, he said.

Eventually, Auburn firefighters were able to clean the spill. The fluid was absorbed from the pavement and disposed of by the highway department.

Morissette’s towed the box truck. Damage to it was estimated at $5,000.

The totaled pickup owned by Shirley Hersey of East Auburn Lumber Road was towed by Moon Recoveries, Cougle said.

Enman was being treated at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston Monday night for pain. Williams was taken to CMMC as well with complaints of pain. He was treated and released, Cougle said.

No charges were filed.