Two people were hurt Thursday evening after a driver went the wrong way on Highway 101 and then crashed into a gas station in Lower Sackville, N.S.

RCMP Cpl. Dal Hutchinson said people started calling 911 about a vehicle travelling inbound in the outbound lane of Highway 101 around 5 p.m.

"There were several vehicles that were impacted by this vehicle," he said. "They were either put off the road or off onto the shoulder of the road."

Several witnesses said the driver was in a car first, but crashed that vehicle and stole the pickup truck on the highway.

RCMP tried to stop the vehicle within seconds of the calls, but it exited and "drove directly" into the Irving gas station on the corner of Sackville Drive and Beaver Bank Road.

"We're very fortunate other people weren't seriously injured or killed in this incident," said Hutchinson.

He said two people were hurt: the driver and a person inside the store. He didn't know of any injuries on the highway.

Highway 101 was closed inbound at exit three "until further notice."

Firefighters examine the gas station after a truck crashed into it Thursday evening. (Robert Short/CBC)

Stephen Turner, Halifax Regional Fire acting district chief for district 3, told CBC ambulances took the injured to hospital. He said the vehicle had crashed into a gas station.

"Firefighters just finished stabilizing the building and police are taking over for their investigation," he said at 6:20 p.m.

Derek Leblanc was driving home on the 101 near Mount Uniacke when he saw cars slowing down. He then saw one car in the ditch and a pickup truck being driven erratically.

"We saw a [truck] circle around and said, 'What the hell is this guy doing?' Then 10 to 30 seconds later, we saw him driving half on the road and half on the side, driving toward Sackville," he said.

The truck clipped another truck and kept on going. Leblanc stopped and called 911. He thinks about five cars were involved.