50 car pile-up on I-4 in Florida

[chri'stina 190]

Pictures:

http://www.news4jax.com/slideshow/news/15010024/detail.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,321236,00.htmlLAKELAND, Fla. — About 50 cars crashed on a highway blanketed by fog and smoke from a brush fire in central Florida on Wednesday, and local officials said at least three people were killed.

A stretch of nearly 15 miles of Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando was closed by several accidents, including the 50-car pileup. Aerial footage showed the soupy mix of fog and smoke covering the landscape for miles and giving the sky an eerie golden color.

The poor visibility hampered rescue efforts, forcing officials to walk along the closed stretch of I-4 checking individual vehicles for injuries, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Larry Coggins said.

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I can't think of any VJers who have to commute on this route, but just wanted to check that everyone near that area was ok.

It's been a horrible morning in central FL for accidents because of fog and smoke. I was worried this morning when Suj left for work, just praying for his safe driving. Then I see this news a few minutes ago. He has a couple co-workers who drive this route from Lakeland to Tampa so I tried calling him to see if he got to work safe and if he heard anything about his co-workers. But he said they are all fine because it happened at like 6 am, earlier than they'd be in the area.

Edited January 9, 2008 by stina&suj

[*JG* 2]

I have a friend who travels this route every day. Haven't heard from him yet this morning and that scares me.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Wow. Hope all VJers who travel this route make it out ok.

[eric&gen 0]

WOW how awful.

[Krikit 1,166]

How sad. I must say that fog is one thing that took me by surprise here. It's really bad, and I always worry about my husband having to drive in it.

[chri'stina 190]

We live near a main road in our town, and this morning between 6:30-7:00am groups of loud sirens went past, multiple vehicles at once, every 10 mins or so. So I was already a little freaked out when Suj left for work at 7:15am! I don't know what was going on in our area, I imagine other accidents. I am getting over paranoid now too because I am pregnant.

[Krikit 1,166]

We live near a main road in our town, and this morning between 6:30-7:00am groups of loud sirens went past, multiple vehicles at once, every 10 mins or so. So I was already a little freaked out when Suj left for work at 7:15am! I don't know what was going on in our area, I imagine other accidents. I am getting over paranoid now too because I am pregnant.

Funny thing about that. I was once asked what changed me by a guy who remembered me as being fearless. I told him it was becoming a mother. My kids are adults now and I still worry about them and me.

[almaty 19]

that is unbelieveable..

[chri'stina 190]

We live near a main road in our town, and this morning between 6:30-7:00am groups of loud sirens went past, multiple vehicles at once, every 10 mins or so. So I was already a little freaked out when Suj left for work at 7:15am! I don't know what was going on in our area, I imagine other accidents. I am getting over paranoid now too because I am pregnant.

Funny thing about that. I was once asked what changed me by a guy who remembered me as being fearless. I told him it was becoming a mother. My kids are adults now and I still worry about them and me.

Yeah it's definitely a new feeling.

[Ban Hammer 14,569]

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Must have been really bad. They had a videoclip on the news this morning and it was just all white with dark smoke coming out of it. There was a guy they had on the phone who said the fog was so dense that he compared to what it must be like standing inside a marshmellow. Visibility was said to be 15 feet or less.

[*JG* 2]

Just talked to my friend. He was nowhere near the mess. I'm thankful.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

There was a guy they had on the phone who said the fog was so dense that he compared to what it must be like standing inside a marshmellow.

Standing inside a marshmallow? Someone actually said that on TV?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

We live near a main road in our town, and this morning between 6:30-7:00am groups of loud sirens went past, multiple vehicles at once, every 10 mins or so. So I was already a little freaked out when Suj left for work at 7:15am! I don't know what was going on in our area, I imagine other accidents. I am getting over paranoid now too because I am pregnant.

Totally understandable, Stina. Try not to get too stressed for the baby's sake.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

There was a guy they had on the phone who said the fog was so dense that he compared to what it must be like standing inside a marshmellow.

Standing inside a marshmallow? Someone actually said that on TV?

Yes, someone actually said that on TV.