Authorities are investigating the cause of a crash on Route 3 in Clifton that shut a part of the roadway down for several hours.

The crash happened around 10:45 a.m. Wednesday near the LaQuinta hotel. Officials say that a tractor-trailer traveling on the eastbound side of the highway collided with two cars, crashed through the concrete barrier into the westbound lanes and then struck two additional vehicles. Officials also say that two more cars were struck by debris from the concrete barrier.

The driver of the truck, identified as 46-year-old William Libby, was seriously injured and taken to Saint Joseph’s Medical Center. The driver of a BMW, identified as 32-year-old Irving Vasquez Velez, was also seriously injured.

It was not immediately clear what caused Libby to lose control of the truck. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-877-370-PCPO.