Motorists Stranded As Snow Continues To Fall In N.Y.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) - A lake-effect snow storm continues to batter cities along Lake Erie.
Buffalo has gotten more than five feet of snow since the beginning of the week. And the storm is now officially named "Winter Storm Knife" for the way it cut through the area.
As they try to clear the mounds of snow, more continues to fall.
At least five people have died and another storm is expected to drop 2 to 3 feet more.
The storm came in so fast and furious it trapped more than 100 vehicles on a 132-mile stretch of the state Thruway in western New York that remained closed Wednesday.
Erie County officials said a 46-year-old man was discovered early Wednesday in his car, which was in a ditch and buried in snow in the town of Alden, 24 miles east of Buffalo. It was unclear how he died.
At least three people from the Pittsburgh area are stranded in the storm.
Tony Moffa, a 19-year veteran with Beitler Trucking in Esplen, has been trapped in one spot since 3 a.m. Tuesday.
"It got heavier, heavier and heavier and then there was an accident. A couple cars got tangled up ahead of us and from that point, a Trooper got stuck, a tow truck got stuck and it just started coming down in blankets," Moffa said.
Moffa said he has food and water in his truck.
However, others aren't as lucky.
Bryce Foreback from Chicora has been trapped on Interstate 90 for more than 24 hours.
"It seemed like a nightmare. It just didn't feel like it was going to end," Foreback told The Associated Press by cellphone. "I haven't slept in like 30 hours and I'm just waiting to get out of here."
Foreback had become stuck in a long line of cars near the Lackawanna toll booths just south of Buffalo about 10:30 Monday night.
The situation there is dire.
Most cars are low on gas and cell phones are almost dead.
The National Guard has been brought in to help stranded drivers. More than 100 miles of thruway is closed.
You May Also Be Interested In These Latest News Stories
Locals Among Those Stranded In NY Snow Storm (11/18/14)
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
