Two men were killed yesterday morning when a passenger bus slammed into the back of a stopped car on Route 140 in Finksburg, causing a chain of collisions that left the road closed for nearly four hours, state police said.

David R. Replogle, 39, of the 3000 block of Walnut Ave. in Owings Mills was pronounced dead at the scene, said Lt. Terry Katz, Westminster barracks commander.

Milton A. Ashman, 77, of the 6300 block of Greenspring Ave. in Baltimore was flown to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he died, Katz said.

Police did not identify the 46-year-old bus driver. No charges had been filed yesterday evening.

The accident, in the westbound lanes of the highway, occurred shortly before 10 a.m., when the Coach Express bus rammed Replogle's Toyota Camry, which was stopped at a red light.

The Camry then struck the rear of Ashman's Chevrolet Malibu, also stopped at the light, sending the Malibu into the path of a dump truck that was turning onto Route 140 from Dede Road, Katz said.

Hot asphalt from the truck spilled into Ashman's car and onto the road, Katz said.

Katz said he did not know how fast the bus was going but said the force of the collision compacted the Camry into a crumpled triangle.

Neither the bus driver nor the dump truck driver suffered serious injuries, but both were taken to Carroll County General Hospital in Westminster for examination, Katz said.

Troopers closed the highway in both directions and state environmental workers cleaned up spilled asphalt and fuel, Katz said.