Icy weather shuts down Texas three days after 135 car pileup in fort worth

[uo111 5,282]

Texas has seen multiple bouts of freezing rain starting earlier this week. This is an extremely rare occurrence for most of the state (the panhandle not included). People are extremely uneducated about what frozen roads mean and the municipal governments are not equipped to deal with these kinds of road conditions.

 

FORT WORTH, Texas - At least six people are dead after 135 vehicles were involved in a massive ice-related wreck Thursday morning on Interstate 35W in Fort Worth, police said.

The scene stretched for nearly a mile in the southbound lanes of the interstate near Northside Drive, north of downtown.

The pileup appeared to have started about 6:15 a.m. Thursday as motorists ventured onto slick roads coated in a thin sheet of ice from freezing rain that had fallen overnight and into the early morning hours.

"It appears, at this point in the investigation, ice was a factor," Chief Noakes said.

Multiple cell phone videos show cars traveling at a high rate of speed, then sliding and crashing into each other. Multiple 18-wheelers were involved in the pileup and crashed violently into other passenger vehicles.

First responders had to methodically work to reach the incident scene and then work their way from car to car to check on the condition of people inside. Several people had to be extricated and sanding trucks were brought in to assist with the removal of vehicles.

Rescuers also said they were concerned about people potentially developing hypothermia due to the long time they may have spent trapped or waiting outside their vehicle.

Caught up in the wreckage was the driver of a white Dodge Ram pickup truck. He spoke with FOX 4 but did not want his name released.

"We heard the crash way before we started getting hit, so that was kind of weird thing in and of itself, cause you're looking left and right on the highway wondering where the sound is coming from," he recalled. "There's no control of the vehicle. Once you start getting hit, you just hope for the best at that point."

https://www.fox4news.com/news/multiple-injuries-from-icy-wreck-on-i-35w-in-fort-worth-involving-50-plus-vehicles

 

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Sunday evening that the White House issued a Federal Emergency Declaration for Texas in response to the severe winter weather areas across the state are experiencing.

Abbott said he submitted a request for this declaration on Saturday to help the state in responding to the storm. The declaration from the Biden Administration authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide emergency protective measures for mass care, sheltering, and federal assistance to all 254 of Texas’ counties.

https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/white-house-issues-federal-emergency-declaration-for-texas-winter-weather-event/

 

Ice on the road is serious, you can't see it and by the time you feel it it is already too late. If any of y'all are in these areas, stay home if you can! If you are ever in these conditions, drive as slow as possible! Don't wait for the government to tell you it's dangerous, they knew the icy rain was coming on Tuesday and nothing was done and that's why the tragedy in Fort Worth was allowed to happen.

[RRR 3,996]

I'm scared, my job wants me to travel a few hours around Texas several times this week, and my job is also pretty ridiculous so they might not let me stay at home

[Economy 52,844]

Ughhhhh freezing rain is the worst

 

My part of Canada gets it a lot because the average day time temperature is just slightly below freezing so were often on the line where we get freezing rain instead of snow 

 

Even we who get it frequently and are more prepared and used to it still get lots of accidents and gridlocked traffic when freezing rain falls. I can only imagine in Texas

[Borislshere 53,665]

the way it was hot as hell early last week and yesterday and today have been in the 20s 

I used PTO for today in hopes to spend Valentines day with my bf before he starts his new job and that was shut down 

 

[Economy 52,844]

Also this February has been brutal the entire North American continent it seems

 

First half of winter nice and mild and all the cold air went to other side of globe... guess now its our turn

[Franch Toast 27,737]

@MonsterMom, are you having an Elsa moment? 

[uo111 5,282]

12 minutes ago, Lady Papa said:

I'm scared, my job wants me to travel a few hours around Texas several times this week, and my job is also pretty ridiculous so they might not let me stay at home

You just came down with a sudden bout of hell novid in that case. It’s unacceptable to expect anyone who is not absolutely essential to drive in this!

[RRR 3,996]

4 minutes ago, uo111 said:

You just came down with a sudden bout of hell novid in that case. It’s unacceptable to expect anyone who is not absolutely essential to drive in this!

I'm picking up my rental car before any of the management is even awake They are trying to kill me, I just know it. At this point, just let them

[LaLuna 12,732]

Yeah, freezing rain is not cool.

Kind of reminds me of the ice storm of '98 in Canada. It was so bad they had to call a state of emergency and some areas had no power for over a month.

 

[Lion Heart 15,041]

27 minutes ago, Lady Papa said:

I'm scared, my job wants me to travel a few hours around Texas several times this week, and my job is also pretty ridiculous so they might not let me stay at home

This is so ridiculous.

Can you email them and ask to take some time off due to the horrible weather conditions? It's better to get something in writing like email instead of calling, that way if something happens to you while on the job, you have something to use in court if you decide to sue them.

I mean, I'm not a lawyer, but it's better than nothing. Email your boss.

[REALITY 80,162]

I live in Texas, near the Austin area. It's snowing right now.

[RAMROD 117,032]

Ya, I got the pictures and video too from my husband from his hotel room. 

Lucky he arrived there couple of days earlier. But my flight will be next week, and hope it will pass by then. 

[Perfect Celebrity 1,617]

I live in Dallas and my work was closed yesterday and today, and most likely into the week too. It’s been nice, I’ve been inside my apartment all day watching movies and watching the snow. I live in Dallas, and the roads are not safe to drive on right now. Plus, anyone who lives in the hotter parts of texas knows how to drive on ice, so that adds to the mess of it all. I grew up in a pretty icy area so I know how, but it’s not really easy to do in general. Icy roads are so unpredictable 

[Kattys 4,319]

I drive a car in Europe and you can feel ice on the road immediately. One time I got into this freezing rain situation, even  turning was extremely difficult, driving at 10km/h felt like speeding and absolute maximum that you can do. Road to home that I usually did in 25 minutes took over two hours. But everyone was driving super slow, it was insane day. 
But I suppose they don’t have such thing as winter tyres? People should be educated about driving in winter conditions, no matter where they live.

[uo111 5,282]

18 minutes ago, Lady Papa said:

I'm picking up my rental car before any of the management is even awake They are trying to kill me, I just know it. At this point, just let them

I don’t know if a rental car place is gonna want to rent out cars that have a 80% chance of being totaled 

That’s assuming they are even open themselves!