MEMPHIS, TN — A crash involving a Memphis Police Department vehicle left five people dead and three others injured early Sunday, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The wreck happened at the intersection of Hickory Hill Road and East Raines Road in Memphis. THP said the crash involved two cars, including a police vehicle carrying two officers who were responding to a call for service.

Officials said the collision remains under investigation, and they have not yet said what caused the two vehicles to hit each other.

One survivor from the first vehicle remains in critical condition

THP said one of the vehicles carried six people. Five of those occupants died in the crash, while one survived and was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

The agency did not immediately release the names or ages of the victims. It also did not say whether the people in the first car were related or traveling together for a specific reason.

With five fatalities, the collision became one of the deadliest recent traffic crashes in the Memphis area. Investigators have not said whether speed, impairment or any other factor may have played a role.

Two Memphis police officers were also hurt while answering a call

The second vehicle was a Memphis Police Department car with two officers inside, THP said. The officers were responding to a call for service when the crash occurred.

Both officers were injured, though authorities have not described the severity of their injuries. Their condition was not immediately released beyond confirmation that they were hurt in the collision.

Because the officers were on duty at the time, the crash adds an official response component to an already fatal roadway investigation. Police have not said whether the officers had their emergency lights or sirens activated.

The collision happened at Hickory Hill Road and East Raines Road

Investigators identified the crash scene as the intersection of Hickory Hill Road and East Raines Road, a busy stretch in southeast Memphis. The time of the wreck was early Sunday morning.

THP has not released a detailed timeline of how the collision unfolded. It is also not clear from the initial update which vehicle entered the intersection first or whether one driver may have failed to yield.

Scene reconstruction will likely focus on vehicle positions, skid marks, impact points and other physical evidence. Those findings often help investigators determine how a fatal crash developed in the seconds before impact.

THP's Critical Incident Response Team is leading the reconstruction

The Tennessee Highway Patrol said its Critical Incident Response Team is handling the case. That unit specializes in major crash investigations and reconstruction work after serious roadway incidents.

In this case, investigators will be piecing together evidence from the scene, the vehicles involved and witness accounts if any are available. THP has not announced a timetable for releasing additional findings.

For now, the agency’s update confirms only the broad facts: five people died, three others were hurt, and one of the vehicles was a Memphis police car responding to a call for service.

Questions remain about what led to one of Memphis's deadliest recent wrecks

Authorities still have not said what caused the crash, leaving several basic questions unanswered. That includes whether weather, traffic conditions or driver actions contributed to the fatal collision.

Because the investigation is active, THP has not attributed fault to either vehicle or released any preliminary conclusions. Officials also have not said when more information may become public.

Until investigators finish their reconstruction, the crash remains a stark reminder of how quickly routine travel and emergency responses can end in tragedy on city streets.