Fla. Interstate Still Closed After Crash

Brush Fire, Dense Fog Cause 70-Car Pileup In Fla.; 4 Dead

(CBS/AP)  A stretch of Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando remains closed this morning, a day after a major pileup that killed four people.

Officials say dense fog and smoke from a brush fire in the area has seriously limited visibility.

From the skies it looked like a soft blanket of fog, but below that blanket was a disaster, what one man described as a war zone.

"It looked like a bomb went off on the front cars," he told CBS News. "I mean, it was nasty, burnt-up debris, cars smashed, cars sideways, just a mess."

35-year-old Mark Snyder was on his way to work in Orlando when he was killed in the massive multiple car accident. He was one of hundreds of drivers who could barely see as they unwittingly drove into the thick fog, and one of four people who died at the scene. Thirty-eight others were injured, five critically.

"There's going to be a big hole, big hole in our lives," said Mary Ussery, mother-in-law of Snyder.

CBS News correspondent Hari Sreenivasan reports that 10 different pileups occurred - 70 vehicles in all - as drivers were blinded by smoke from a planned burn that blew out of control, and thick fog that no one could predict. At least 20 of those vehicles were semi-tractor trailers. Some vehicles caught fire.

One police car responding to the scene was struck three times. As the deputy pulled over and began shepherding people away from the site, he could hear crashes occurring all around him.

Tankers overturned and some tractor trailers almost completely burned to the ground.

More than a hundred rescue workers responded and spent the day freeing trapped passengers and clearing the wreckage from a scene that started out looking so peaceful.

"I stood out and happened to look around and I took about five steps, saw a car and I had to physically dive out of the way," one older gentleman said.

“It went from a standard average fog to a sheer wall of zero visibility. I couldn’t even see two feet in front of my truck,” Jim Palmer of Winterhaven told CBS affiliate WTSP-TV.

“You could just hear impact after impact after impact,” he said. “People crying, moaning, people crying out for help. It wasn’t a pretty picture at all.”

Eduardo Donoso of St. Petersburg was riding along with his friend Paulino Duenas at about 5:30 a.m. when he said they suddenly hit thick smoke and fog. Traffic started to slow.

They heard cars braking and others crashing into each other and finally explosions. "They were screaming, 'Help my wife.' 'Get me out of here,' Donoso told WTSP.

Donoso was not injured but his friend suffered a broken leg. Both men consider themselves lucky.

The day after the accident, weather conditions appear just as bad.

"We have a significant situation here, and certainly we don't want anyone trying to travel between Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando on I-4 or even think that they can today," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told Early Show anchor Maggie Rodriguez.

"Certainly we have about 100 square miles of fog and smoke this morning, and we've not been down in the worst areas because we've successfully cut off the interstate," Judd said.

There were other major road closings in the area this morning due to fog, including U.S. 17 north and south bound.

The state agency responsible for the controlled burn is investigating, but Sheriff Judd told Rodriguez, "Quite frankly, for every question you have at this time, I have about three."

The sheriff's office has released a number for people who need information or who are looking for missing family members: [phone].

[patjflynn]

I live here in Fl and the fog can get very thick at times, but the Fl drivers are always moving at 75 mph or higher and traveling right on top of the cars in front of them. I''m surprised there weren''t more deaths!

[slim1h2o]

To AL2008; at 05:00 PM : Jan 09, 2008,, and to all others

Hi Al, this the Governor of Fla, as part of my new "comprehensive anti-global warming" package, I must ask you to refrain from using your car, suv, and all other motorized equipment.

Under the new policy, the only mode of transportation that private Americans, will be allowed to use is their feet, and or the public bus. But only, if you have to travel more than 25 miles, you will be allowed to use the bus! Any distance less than 25 miles, you can use your bicycle, and only your bicycle.

I hope you find my new policies, to your satisfaction!

Hope you have a good year, and a good life!

Signed,,,The GUV

P.S. Don''''t even think of using a horse, they give off more methane,,,, to ,.... well,,to choke a horse.

Have a pleasnt day!

[kt4rod]

This was a tragic wreck, my thoughts and prayers go out to those involved and their loved ones... I hope we learn from this... Stop driving so fast people... stop tailgating... if you cant see what is in-front of you, slow down! Sure we can try to blame smoke from an out of control fire or fog, but the driving habits of people in this area are terrible to begin with, and that needs to change.

[kt4rod]

This was a tragic wreck, my thoughts and prayers go out to those involved and their loved ones... I hope we learn from this... Stop driving so fast people... stop tailgating... if you cant see what is in-front of you, slow down! Sure we can try to blame smoke from an out of control fire or fog, but the driving habits of people in this area are terrible to begin with, and that needs to change.

[kt4rod]

This was a tragic wreck, my thoughts and prayers go out to those involved and their loved ones... I hope we learn from this... Stop driving so fast people... stop tailgating... if you cant see what is in-front of you, slow down! Sure we can try to blame smoke from an out of control fire or fog, but the driving habits of people in this area are terrible to begin with, and that needs to change.

[kt4rod]

This was a tragic wreck, my thoughts and prayers go out to those involved and their loved ones... I hope we learn from this... Stop driving so fast people... stop tailgating... if you cant see what is in-front of you, slow down! Sure we can try to blame smoke from an out of control fire or fog, but the driving habits of people in this area are terrible to begin with, and that needs to change.

[kt4rod]

This was a tragic wreck, my thoughts and prayers go out to those involved and their loved ones... I hope we learn from this... Stop driving so fast people... stop tailgating... if you cant see what is in-front of you, slow down! Sure we can try to blame smoke from an out of control fire or fog, but the driving habits of people in this area are terrible to begin with, and that needs to change.

[michellem99-2009]

Take the public bus, yes..slim1h2o..