Ten Die in Gainsville, Fla. Highway Pre-Dawn Crashes
Ten people died in the pre-dawn hours Sunday in a multiple-vehicle crash in Gainsville Florida, after smoke from a nearby prairie fire reduced nearly all visibility.
The crash on Interstate 75 near Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park involved about 20 vehicles on the northbound and southbound sides of the highway, according to the Gainesville Sun.
“It was a very traumatic situation and a very frightening situation, to be out there on I-75 in the midst of that traffic, hearing crashes, hearing explosions, hearing people scream and call for help and not be able to get to them,” Sherriff Sadie Darnell told the Sun.
One witness, whose car struck a guard rail and eventually managed to pull off to the side of the highway, said she heard multiple crashes.
“We were on the phone with 911,” said Donna Henry. She was driving south.
“You heard like 15 times somebody hit, from this side and that, north and south. It was bad.”
A spokeswoman from the Florida Department of Transportation said the road is damaged from vehicle fires, according to the Sun.