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Multiple Wrecks Close Highway 113
January 6, 2012
Multiple wrecks shut down Highway 113 north of Flomaton Fridaymorning, with at least five people injured. The wrecks were attributed to extremely thick fog and smoke from a controlled burn creating near zero visibility in some locations.
The first accidents were reported about 5 a.m. Multiple fire departments and ambulances from Escambia County, Fla., Atmore and Brewton responded to the scene, which stretched over several miles.
The wrecks were between the Pineview crossroads and I-65. Both north and southbound lanes were closed for almost six hours while emergency officials worked to clear the accidents and waited for the fog and smoke to clear.
Pictured: A traffic cam look the Highway 29 and Highway 31 intersection in Flomaton at 7:50 this morning shows the fog has lifted in Flomaton. ALDOT photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
25 Responses to “Multiple Wrecks Close Highway 113”
Dear TOM
I did know the firefighter that was injured in the wreck. For further clarification, He was parked behind the fire truck when his pickup was struck from behind. The back of his truck was smashed to the rear axle the first time it was hit. Troopers estimated the speed at 60 mph, just a tad bit over idle speed. His truck was then hit a second time by an 18 wheeler. I am a firefighter and spend a lot of time on the side of the road, clear and foggy and drivers just fly by. Dumb carless drivers are the issue.
It sounds as though you are well versed on the law and appear to be seeking a client.
this is par for the course the forest dept has done this before something so simple as checking the weather conditions REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My job is driving for a rental car company relocating vehicles and I se many drivers that drive the same speed in any type of weather. Generally they are exceeding the speed limit by 10 to 15 mph. When they are in one of these types of crashes they want to blame everybody and anything but themselves for the crash
I think it is the stupidest thing I ever heard for anyone to ever burn when
it is foggy, going to be foggy, or CLOUDY.
Where I live they burn all the time when it is cloudy at night.
Then everyone with asthma goes crazy for days. When you infect someone
with asthma with smoke, it is totally toxic. You can’t breathe air into your
lungs, and then you can’t walk four feet. If you have a critical attack sometimes
your rescue inhaler doesn’t help, or your steroid and you can die just trying
to get to the phone for help. You don’t get over it the next morning either,
you wake up worse and it takes sometimes days to get over, kind of like
the flu.
One woman in my subdivision sometimes has to LEAVE. I feel for the
Children as to many parents don’t even know their children are asthmatics.
The lawyers would just be doing their job….everyone complains about lawyers being sharks…until THEY need one…then they want to hire a shark.
Study of similar accidents have determined that the cause of the accidents was “driver error”, exceeding a reasonable speed for the road conditions. Quite often such accidents are blamed on smoke by plaintiff attorneys when in fact smoke may have played a very minor role.
@Warf Rat,,….I know (DUMB)….
@ RB: Actually, it is the jurors who decide who is (dumd?) and stupid. The lawyers are there to represent their client, and hopefully sway the jury. Their gamble is to win a healthy payday. It is sort of like a talent show. But the bottom line goes to the jury, if the case goes to court.
I would just like to say ….AMEN TOM!
No..the lawyers will determine who have the deepest pockets. Hard to run a business otherwise. For all we know (unless someone in the group was actually on site taking atm readings), the smoke was present only in a quantity to be smelled and may not have contributed to the production of super fog. But since it could be smelled it must have been the prescribed burner’s negligence.
The way I see it, so long as the prescribed burner follows the law, then any smoke related claims should fall under natural disaster and covered by their own auto or homeowner’s insurance. Arguing gross negligence on the part of the law abiding landowner is at that point merely litigious diatribe and soft shoe. If the burner does not follow the law (at which point they are called arsonists) then the gloves can come off. Otherwise, lawyers involvement is nothing more then ambulance chasing.
When fog or rain is this heavy and your car does not have sonor, STOP!
NObama: I probably need to add a little to my story. I looked down at my speed and I was going 2 mph. Visibility was zero. I had not traveled this road in over a month so I was not privy to any signs the day before advertising about visibility. I called 911, which was the first time in my life I have had to ever call 911, to advise them of the dangerous situation.
I will agree with you on two things, though. I do not blame the gun; I blame the gun user. And second, going 60 mph in those conditions is an idiot driver.
NObama….critical reading might be necessary on your part as I think we are on the same page. My point; car accidents can happen from smoke that are from wildfires or controlled fires (as seen in the recent headlines). The difference is the path to litigation is easier to follow when you have someone who struck the match who is other then mother nature. Prescribed fire is regulated enough and I personally feel it is a waist everyone’s money to tie up the court system when (in nearly every case) the person ultimately responsible for the accident is the one behind the wheel. If folks feel the person who pulls the permit for the prescribed burn is negligent, then work on changing the law rather then going after the Joe who is following the letter of the law (which again, would be a waist of time..but guess I need to spell out my sarcasm). So timber companies starting wildfires…not the case. Burning to clear oil platforms..doubt it. Hardly matters. Smoke happens. This ain’t NASCAR..you don’t pull to the middle of the road and speed up. Learn to drive in it or take the bus.
I have to laugh at “northenvoter”. “I had to let my window down and watch the lines with my head out the window”. I’d be more worried with what was in front of me than what was beside me.
I also laugh at people who turn on their emergency flashers in hard rain and then pass everyone on the highway. I guess when they hydroplane the flashing lights will help find them.
I agree with others – if you can’t see, pull over!
The LAWYERS will determine who is dumd and stupid.
NObama….Hwy 113 or any other state road is state property and open to public traffic. Any MANmade obstructions resulting in an accident is an open and shut case for a lawsuit, regardless of speed. Thank God your not a judge or the country would be worse shape. From all indications most of the drivers that traveled the area this morning were only running at an idle speed. Some even had to hang their head out the window just to see the lane divider lines. I’m sure your feelings would be different if a friend or a loved one was injuried this morning, or if an ambulance or state trooper wasn’t able to respond to a medical call at your resident because the road was blocked due to smog. I guess using your logic the medical personnel responding which might have been responding to your call should’ve just stopped when they got into the smog and turned around. “A bit of advise, IF YOU CAN”T SEE DON’T DRIVE!!!!!!” It’s not the drivers fault when an irresponsible landowner takes it upon himself to have a prescribed burn when conditions are favorable, especially in a highly smoke sensitive area, such as a major four lane state highway. You can study the number of lawsuits in years past on the following website, since you feel like it’s always the DUMB drivers fault. https://fp.auburn.edu/fire/liability.htm
JM
So what is the common denominator here? Dumb drivers going 60 when they can’t see, thats the common denominator. I guess you blame the gun instead of the person who used the gun.
There where signs out on 113 warning of the limited visability yesterday and where still there this morning. Still not the drivers fault , ohhhh No, must be the smoke. No doubt clowns like you would attempt to sue the land owner for making the smoke.
A bit of advise, IF YOU CAN”T SEE DON’T DRIVE!!!!!!
The only wild fires around here are the ones timber companiess start. Its a money thing at others expence. Please don’t you know what down our backs and tell us it’s raining.
I came through there at 1:00 this morning and I couldn’t see anything. The fires are being burned because they are setting up oil pads for drilling in the area. That’s what I was told!
jimmywang, the fires are not “stupid”, they are necessary to keep our forests from becoming overgrown (which creates an even bigger wildfire hazard). I agree they shouldn’t be done when fog is expected, I had a hard time driving from Bay Minette to Atmore this morning even when there wasn’t smoke.
On Dec 29, 2011; 40 Car Accident outside New Orleans, Cause Wildfire Smoke/Fog.
On Jan 4, 2012; 3 Car Accident outside New Orleans; Cause Wildfire Smoke/Fog.
On Jan 5, 2012; 50 Car Accident outside Port Arthur, TX; Cause Wildfire Smoke/Fog
On Jan 6, 2012; “Multiple Wrecks”–probably 5 cars or so outside Flomaton; Cause Prescribed Fire Smoke/Fog.
So what is the common denominator here? Is it forest managers who don’t know what they are doing or drivers who don’t know how to drive in these conditions? it’s always the fault of someone else isn’t it? I’d be for further constraints on what is a landowner RIGHT (burning) if we can require IQ tests in order to get a driver’s license.
Man you talk about stupid……wildfork road was like that awhile ago,but at least it’s not as heavily traveled. What are these burns being done for anyway? I mean it’s probably not a good reason. I came through last night about 7 and tole my kids to look at all the fires. How stupid and how much of a nuisance did this cause for people who have to travel up or down 113 regularly.
Must be the same company that burned last night on Wilfork Road. I was there around 8:00 pm. Visability was 4 feet. I started to call the county sheriff but he said it was about to be closed on the other end. When I got to the other end no one was there. I guess he was trying to cover his rear end. I hope they burn their butt in court.
Why would someone do a control burn when there was a possibilty of fog last night? I have a best friend that works in forestry and does control burns in another state and he said they have to be extremely careful when doing control burns. He’s always told me that any smoke settling on the roads at night is their responsibilty. There have been cases of fatalities due to smoke on the road and the families along with the insurance companies sued and won. He’s always told me that it doesn’t matter if there is a sign saying, “smoke on road”, it’s still your responsibility. He said the signs are just to help you in a court case, but your still liable. I feel for the individuals involved in the wreck and hope everyone is safe, but I also feel for the people responsible for the control burn (and the property owner). I wish people used their head a little more. I’m all for controlled burns, but it has been ridiculous this year. Everytime you turn around this year, someone is burning and it’s seemed to be on foggy mornings. This wasn’t the first time, just the first time we’ve seen accidents related to the smog.
I came through there at 3:00 a.m. I called 911 and told the dispatcher that if they don’t get a Deputy up there quick there real quick that there was going to be a bad accident. Visibility was zero feet. I could not even see the road. I had to let my window down and watch the lines with my head out the window.