A police vehicle depicted after the fire suppression system at a gas station in Loudon accidentally went off. Credit: Courtesy Loudon Fire Department

Five cars collided with one another in Loudon on Wednesday after a service technician at a nearby gas station accidentally set off the station’s fire suppression system.

The technician had been working on faulty wiring when the system deployed, according to Loudon Fire Chief Thomas Blanchette.

A large cloud of fire retardant drifted from the gas station, obscuring the visibility on New Hampshire Route 106, causing the five-vehicle accident.

Drivers fueling their vehicles were also caught in the squall, Blanchette said.

Officials closed Route 106 for about 30 minutes, then were able to open it back up for two lane traffic.

One person in the accident was transported to Concord Hospital for medical attention as a precaution. They have since been treated and released, according to Blanchette.

Addison Mason is a reporting intern for the Concord Monitor and a student at Roger Williams University