Monday, January 30, 2012

Video: 10 motorists dead after fog, smoke envelope Florida highway

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Drivers on a stretch of Interstate 75 in Florida found themselves in the midst of a scene from a nightmare early Sunday morning. Fog and smoke from a nearby brush fire combined to significantly reduce visibility, which resulted in a massive pile up just south of Gainesville involving 12 cars and six or seven semi trucks. The collisions began at 3:45AM EST and police have confirmed at least 10 deaths associated with the incident and ensuing vehicle fires. All six lanes of the highway are closed now as investigators work to discern exactly what caused the tragedy.

According to reports, the smoke and fog were still heavy when rescuers arrived, forcing emergency personnel to listen for screams and cries in the darkness. The wreckage was spread over a mile across both sides of the interstate. Around 18 people were injured and taken to local hospitals for treatment, though their conditions are unknown at this time.

Authorities had closed the highway earlier in the day due to poor visibility, but later opened the road again when the smoke appeared to have cleared. Follow the jump for a Reuters news report on the incident.

Continue reading 10 motorists dead after fog, smoke envelope Florida highway

10 motorists dead after fog, smoke envelope Florida highway originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/30/10-motorists-dead-after-fog-smoke-envelope-florida-highway/

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