FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – A man from Strong was killed Wednesday after the vehicle he was driving was hit by a pickup truck going the wrong way.

Thomas Hooke, 68, of Yulee, Fla., and Strong, died when his Mitsubishi pickup was struck by a Chevrolet pickup in Fernandina Beach, according to a report in The Florida Times-Union newspaper.

Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Bill Leeper told the newspaper that Hooke and the driver of the other truck, Donald Harrison, 65, of Fernandina Beach, died in the crash, which happened at about 1:25 p.m.

Harrison’s truck also hit two other vehicles and burst into flames after it came to a stop.

“The site of the impact looked like a bomb had exploded, with pieces from both vehicles involved in the head-on collision scattered in all directions,” the Times-Union reported.

Harrison was wearing his seat belt, but Hooke was not, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The accident remained under investigation Friday.

Locally, Hooke was known in the Strong area as a Maine Guide and mason, said friend and fellow Maine Guide Milt Baston of Strong, who learned of the accident Friday. Hooke sold his place on Route 4 a few years ago and had been spending winters in Florida but returned to Maine for the summers, Baston said.

Hooke guided tours for bears and kept hounds, Baston said.

Baston said Hooke was a generous man with his time and advice, and said he was sorry to learn of the accident.