Blinding sun and glare contributed to multiple crashes on Veterans Memorial Bridge between Auburn and Lewiston, causing a delay in the Thursday morning commute.

Auburn police responded to four separate crashes involving 12 vehicles on Veterans Memorial Bridge. Two children were injured.

The crashes were first reported at 7:42 a.m. Upon arrival, officers discovered a series of collisions, Auburn Police Department said on its Facebook page.

The initial crash occurred in the eastbound lanes, where traffic had come to a stop due to an earlier incident on the Lewiston side of the bridge, near the Main Street overpass.

“According to drivers and several witnesses, blinding sun and glare were significant contributing factors in the chain of crashes,” the Facebook post said.

Three of the four crashes in Auburn took place on the bridge itself and involved vehicles rear-ending stopped traffic. The fourth crash occurred on Center Street at the entrance to the bridge, where a driver attempting to back up and turn around to avoid the traffic delay collided with another stopped vehicle.

While no injuries were initially reported, police later learned that two minor children were seen at a local hospital for complaints of pain. Eight vehicles were towed from the Auburn side of the bridge as a result of this incident, and the eastbound lanes were closed for over an hour while emergency crews investigated and cleared the scene, the Facebook post said.