POLAND — Two men were seriously injured Thursday night when their snowmobiles collided on Middle Range Pond.

Robert Bissonette, 35, of Auburn and Jared Murphy, 20, of Poland had gone to dinner with two others at an area restaurant. When they left on their snowmobiles, they got separated, according to Maine Warden Service spokeswoman Deborah Turcotte.

When Murphy turned around to check on the whereabouts of Bissonette, their machines collided, Turcotte said.

Both men were taken by ambulance to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston where they were being treated later Thursday night.

The Maine Warden Service sent officers to the scene to assist with the rescue and to begin an investigation. An hour after the crash was reported, more wardens were being sent to the scene, Turcotte said.

Middle Range Pond connects to Upper Range Pond at Hatch Hill Road.

For wardens, it was the third serious snowmobile crash in a week.

Last Friday, a 29-year-old Madison man was killed when his machine slammed into a broken-down trail groomer in that town.

A day later, a 30-year-old man from Massachusetts suffered head, back and neck injuries when his snowmobile flipped on Sabattus Pond.