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American Morning

One Person Killed in Florida Crash

Aired May 28, 2001 - 10:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's been a frustrating holiday weekend around some of the tourist areas of Orlando, Florida. Wildfires and fog are combining to make driving very difficult and quite dangerous. One person was killed and several others injured in Polk County early today along Interstate 4. We're going to go now to Bay News 9 reporter Chuck Johnson, who is on the scene -- Chuck, what can you tell us about the fatal accident?

CHUCK JOHNSON, BAY NEWS 9 REPORTER: Kyra, we're here at the worst of actually a series of accidents. You might be able to see behind me a truck jackknifed on the west bound lanes of I4. There are several other semi trucks here, as well, including two which the Florida Highway Patrol is filled with gasoline.

Now, these west bound lanes of I4, they expect them to be closed perhaps as late as three o'clock this afternoon. Now, here's what the Florida Patrol says happened about 6:30 this morning. Some motorists heading west on I4 reported hitting a wall of smoke and fog and that is when chaos ensued. We have about 18 vehicles involved in this chain reaction accident. We now have one person confirmed dead. We have at least 10 people injured. They've been taken to area hospitals.

But right now the biggest problem is the traffic problem. They are detouring everybody off of the west bound lanes of Interstate 4 and detouring them on some of the side streets. As of right now, though, the east bound lanes of Interstate 4 are opened from Tampa to Orlando, but, of course, it is slow going over there, a very big backup. So right now we have one confirmed dead, a number of people injured in this terrible Memorial Day accident -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Chuck, any effort going on to clear the smoke and try to make it easier to see on the roadways?

JOHNSON: Well, actually, now the smoke has pretty much cleared up. What they tell us is early in the morning when the fog settles in, that's when the smoke gets trapped close to the ground and creates the traffic problems. But once the sun comes up and burns off the fog, then the smoke dissipates as well.

PHILLIPS: All right, Chuck Johnson. Well, it's a story we'll continue to cover also. Thanks so much.

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