PERU – Two Massachusetts brothers and a third man were injured late Friday afternoon when one brother crashed his snowmobile into two other sleds stopped in the middle of Worthley Pond, officials on scene said.

Christopher Carroll, 24, who was badly injured, suffered leg fractures, according to Deborah Turcotte, spokeswoman for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

His brother, Jonathan Carroll, 26, suffered a fractured arm, wrist and chest injuries, according to Turcotte and Med-Care Ambulance Director Dean Milligan.

Milligan said on scene that the injuries were not considered life threatening.

Both brothers were taken in separate ambulances to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston after a 45-minute rescue operation by Med-Care crews and firefighters from Dixfield, Peru and Rumford.

A third snowmobiler, Jason Haddagon, age and town not given, was slightly injured.

The accident happened during a snowstorm shortly before 5 p.m.

According to Turcotte, and Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant and county Sgt. Timothy Holland, Christopher Carroll and Haddagon had stopped their snowmobiles in the center of the pond about 5 p.m. and shut off the engines. Jonathan Carroll, who was unaware the sleds ahead of him had stopped, slammed into both of them, officials said.

“Because of the limited visibility caused by the snow, and the lights that may have been turned off on the snowmobiles, Jonathan may not have been able to see them,” Turcotte said.

Speed may also have been a factor. The accident remains under investigation by Warden Tony Gray of Poland.

Rescuers staged beside the old Peru Store on East Shore Road, which was closed to traffic during the operation.

The brothers, who are believed to be from Marshfield, Mass., were both strapped to backboards. Responders then lifted them into rescue sleds from Dixfield and Rumford fire departments.

The sleds were towed behind snowmobiles to the staging area, where the brothers were put onto gurneys and each placed into waiting ambulances.