DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum 70 Car Pileup on I-4 in Orlando, 4 Dead

http://www.wfla.com/ <<<< Click the link and a player should automatically load, it has like 5 clips on it.

Near Polk City, Florida - Four people are confirmed dead after smoke and fog reduced visibilty on I-4. FHP has shut down I-4 both directions from the Polk Parkway (570) to US 27 in Haines City. This is near SR 559 & CR.557 (Old Grade Road) in Polk County. Visibility was extremely limited due to smoke from brush fires in the area, and fog.

FHP also confirmed that at least 70 vehicles were involved in 10 different crashes. At least 20 of those vehicles were semi tractor trailers. 5 people are reported to have serious injuries, with 38 people transported to local hospitals with various injuries.

Several individuals were trapped and rescue crews worked to get them out. There are also over turned tankers and tractor trailers almost completely burned to the ground.

Several agencies are on scene working the crash.

The accidents are a result of smoke from yesterday's brush fire that started as a controlled burn. The fire has burned 500 acres so far. Division of Forestry officials say the dry conditions and the freeze conditions last week could mean more of these types of fires this wildfire season.

Many of the people involved in today's 70 car pile-up were taken to the Polk Sheriff's Northeast District office to talk about their experience. Deputies hope what they have to say will help with the investigation.

Eduardo Donoso of St. Petersburg was riding along with his friend Paulino Duenas about 5:30 am when he says they suddenly hit thick smoke and fog. The men say the traffic started to slow.

They heard cars braking and others crashing into each other and finally explosions. Donoso added, "They were screaming, 'Help my wife.' 'Get me out of here.'" Donoso's friend suffered a broken leg and has a sore neck and back. Donoso was not injured. Both men consider themselves lucky.

A number of people are still trying to locate family members. The sheriff's office has released a number for people who need information. Call 863-297-1100 to check on a missing family member.

I seen this and was thinking Damn! I feel for all who has lost loved one's

Wow. This is horribly familiar.

Here is a story from Madison Wis just this past Sunday.


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Images: See Viewers' Photos Of Interstate 90 Pileup


Authorities: Multi-Vehicle Pileup Closes Interstate 90
Authorities Say Injuries Are Reported

UPDATED: 8:52 am CST January 7, 2008


MADISON, Wis. -- Two people were killed and dozens more were hurt after about 100 vehicles collided into each other on Interstate 90 outside of Madison on Sunday, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol.

READ: Drivers Who Survived Massive Interstate Pileup Tell Their Stories | VIDEO: Watch The Report | READ: Visit Channel 3000's Traffic Section

Area hospitals reported that about 54 people were taken to Madison area after the massive pileup in the eastbound lane near the Sigglekow Road to the Badger Interchange. Authorities said that the pileup was actually two incidents, concentrated near the 143 and 146 mile markers on I-90, affecting a roughly five-mile span.

Dane County Sheriff's Lt. Dan Bolch said earlier Sunday afternoon that the crash might have involved somewhere between 30 to 50 vehicles. State Patrol officials said on Sunday night the number of cars involved in the pileup included about 100 cars, WISC-TV reported.

Bolch said that the crashes appear to be fog-related. Law enforcement agents and emergency workers are still trying to sort everything out, he said.

Authorities said that the crash apparently began as some drivers began to slow down as fog rolled in. Then, other drivers didn't see traffic slowing and vehicles began to ram into each other in a domino effect, WISC-TV reported.

The Wisconsin State Patrol said that the pileup began at about 2:23 p.m.

Madison Fire Department spokesman Eric Dahl said that crashes continue to happen on the foggy highway even as emergency workers work to clear the road and move the injured to hospitals.

About 10 agencies from around the region responded to the crash with nearly 75 to 100 emergency workers, not including police officers.

Some emergency workers said that the pileup looked like a war zone.

Interstate 90 has been shut down in both directions where the crashes occurred as authorities continue to help the injured, rescue the stranded and clean up.

Madison Metro buses were taking some victims to nearby hotels and Red Cross and the Salvation Army were assisting.

Authorities said that accident reconstruction people were at the scene to piece together how the pileup occurred.

The State Patrol were advising travelers to take alternate routes.

The National Weather Service said that the fog is expected to linger into Monday morning.

Madison Area Hospitals Respond To Pileup

Four Madison area hospitals reported that they received victims of the pileup, including University of Wisconsin Hospital, Meriter Hospital, St. Mary's Hospital and Stoughton Hospital, WISC-TV reported.

UW Hospital officials said that the crash victims in the most critical conditions were taken there. They said that they received eight total victims between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., with one listed in critical condition and seven listed in serious condition as of 6 p.m.

Officials said that the hospital's multi-victim trauma and emergency plans both went into effect, which called for more staff to treat the victims.

"Every hospital, including this one, drills emergency plans," said UW Hospital spokeswoman Lisa Brunette. "We drill our plan at least twice a year so that people know where they're expected to be, how they're expected to behave and what duties and tasks they're expected to perform."

Meriter officials said that they received 11 victims, most with minor injuries. They said that five of the victims walked in. They said that they didn't enact their disaster plan as they had enough staff.

"With the accident happening at 3 p.m., that's a traditional shift change time at hospitals, so we were able to have everybody just hold and have the day staff stay and the p.m.'s were coming in and everybody just held tight," said Meriter Hospital spokeswoman Mae Knowles.

Stoughton Hospital officials said that they received nine victims. They said that seven of them were treated and released while two will be held overnight. The extent of those victims' injuries weren't immediately known.

The hospital did activate its disaster plans, which brought in 40 extra staff members, WISC-TV reported.

St. Mary's Hospital received about 20 victims, officials said. About 10 ambulances -- some carrying multiple victims -- arrived at the hospital. Officials said that half of those who arrived were discharged by early Sunday evening.

"We had about 10 to 12 ambulances come by the hospital between 3 and 6:30 p.m. each carrying about two to four people, so that's a large number for an emergency department to be dealing with," said St. Mary's spokesman Steve Van Dinter.

Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.

We have a stretch of road just north of here around Cleveland, Tn. that has a big fog problem. A big paper mill releases hot water into cooling ponds as part of the paper making process before release into the river.

When conditions are right...which is fairly often, the fog can just blanket I-75 for about 10 miles. Been through there a couple of times where I had to pull off at a exit due to visibility of about 20 feet.

About 10 years back...about 120 cars piled up in a similar accident as is described in this article.

Even if you stop in time, it would sure be a uneasy feeling to be looking in your rearview mirror wondering if someone was going to pile into you or hearing cars behind you starting to pile up....waiting for a loaded truck to finally push 3-4 cars on top of you.

Yah..it prolly wouldn't be a good idea to get out of ur car either cuz chances r someone might realize ur stopped and try to get out of the way n hit u by mistake.....jeez...horrible situation to be in...

I've gotten into quite a few discussions about this recently, the accident happened just to the north of me... What a tragedyl A couple of my thoughts:

-I don't know what it was like on the road, but my first reaction to danger is gradually slow down. Not slam on the breaks, not continue at my speed, but let your momentum carry you to it. It seems like it was caused by "inexperienced" drivers trying to plow through the fog. Drivers down here never cease to amaze me... I've gone through a couple of bad storms, zero visibility, when these slow downs happen; most drivers seem to have an idea of what they're doing. But when it comes to the same situation, only without the rain or wind, something like this happens. Why? And again, it's not like you can put a blame on anyone here, but these kinds of things can be prevented by driving smart.

-Would have to be a scary time for the people at the front of the slowdown, looking through your rear-view mirror hoping and praying somebody doesn't plow into you doing normal speed. You couldn't even get out of your vehicle, think if somebody was to bail to another lane, or off the highway. Spooky.

-There's a 'Watch for Fog' sign along I-4, noticed that last time I traveled on it. We need to be careful when driving, it's all too easy to get used to a routine, so much that it becomes mindless. We should always be aware.

wonder how many of them were talking on cell phones when they looked up and saw the bumper of the car in front of them coming through their windshield?

i try to always leave distance between me and the car ahead of me in case they slam on their brakes, but it never fails, some idiot sees the gap as a place for him to change lanes in front of me, only to slow down.

Florida drivers...

I always try to keep a safe distance too, and I don't go too fast, I have more time then money.. How about the people who ride the bumpers of mini-vans around Orlando, with a family inside? Ooo, that gets me everytime. Just pass them!

Well, the conditions were where you couldn't see a car length in front of you... But I see your point, it was a situation that most drivers have never been in. Still, they slowed down because they had no idea what was front of them. And as it sounds, the fog cover just happened, no "warning". Glad I wasn't there.