A 34-year-old man and 33-year-old woman were found on Monday morning after being ejected from the vehicle on Corowa Road.

The vehicle caught fire after rolling and landing in a paddock, with the engine dislodged from the car and located about 50 metres away.

The pair were discovered about 5.45am and were airlifted to hospitals in Melbourne and Canberra.

But Detective Inspector Winston Woodward said the crash may have occurred much earlier in the night.

“It is unknown at this time exactly what time this accident occurred,” he said.

“However, at 5.45am the vehicle was noticed in the paddock by passersby.

“We are investigating the matter and at this stage the cause of the incident will be what we are looking at.

“It could be anything from speed, cold wet roads, to the animals we know travel that way.

“I would only be speculating at this stage if I said the exact cause of the incident.”

Police, including crime scene officers and detectives, spent hours at the scene, which was about two kilometres west of Federation Way.

The victims may have been affected by hypothermia.

The temperature dropped below freezing overnight.

The man, who had been driving, was in a seriously ill condition in The Alfred Hospital and Canberra Hospital would not comment on the passenger’s condition. 

“It’s distressing for people to come across an accident such as this,” Detective Inspector Woodward said.

The incident was also distressing for the emergency service workers who attended, he said. 

Police are seeking witnesses. 

Emergency services also responded to a truck fire that killed hundreds of chickens near Holbrook on Monday morning.

The trailer, which is thought to have been carrying about 1200 birds south on the Hume Highway, caught alight about 5.10am.

The incident killed many of the animals, but some were removed alive.

Detective Inspector Woodward said a veterinarian had to be brought over from Wagga to assist.