RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Two people are dead as the result of a two-car crash on westbound Interstate 40 Saturday afternoon, according to the Raleigh Police Department.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s website shows the incident happened near the Wade Avenue/Interstate 440/Beltline exit at mile marker 289 shortly before 2 p.m.

At 2:20 p.m., Raleigh police said one car was involved and two people were still inside “with significant life-threatening injuries.”

Three of five lanes were initially closed and the impact on traffic is high. At around 3:15 p.m., the fourth lane was closed and traffic maps show congestion on both Wade Avenue and I-40 westbound.

Just after 9:10 p.m., all lanes of I-40 West reopened, according to the NCDOT. Raleigh police told CBS 17 at 10:50 p.m. that two adults died in the wreck.

Raleigh police said the crash happened when two sedans collided in the westbound lanes. One car — a white sedan — crashed through a guardrail and hit several trees before stopping on an embankment, according to Raleigh police.

Two people in that car were the injured motorists, who later died police said. The driver of that car was also at fault during the crash because it was being driven at “excessive speeds” just before the wreck, according to Raleigh police.

The other car involved, also a sedan, was able to stop with no injuries and little damage to the vehicle, police said.

Saturday afternoon and evening, Wade Avenue traffic was backed up to Edwards Mill Road as emergency personnel had a perimeter around the scene. I-40 traffic was backed up to Chapel Hill Road.