'Super Fog' Caused Dozens of Vehicle to Crash in Florida, Killing Three

Multiple accidents occur in Florida as a result of "super fog." On Thursday morning, more than a dozen automobiles were involved in multi-vehicle collisions on I-95 in Florida when drivers couldn't see more than a few inches ahead of them.

Series of Accidents

During the early morning hours of Thursday, a fiery explosion was filmed on a Florida Department of Transportation camera. Early morning incidents involving more than a dozen automobiles on Interstate 95 near Edgewater, Florida, just northeast of Orlando, produced the horrifying image.

The collisions closed 18 miles of roadway and resulted in at least three fatalities early Thursday. According to troopers, the biggest contributing reason to the collisions was most likely "super fog," which may have been produced by an overnight controlled burn in the region.

"Visibility is dropped to less than 10 feet" when a mixture of smoke and moisture emitted from damp burning organic debris such as brush, leaves, and trees mixes with colder, almost saturated air, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Walker. Super fog travels across low-lying terrains such as stream beds, drainage ditches, and canals with little wind. It usually lasts till there's a wind."

Super Fog Caused by Prescribed Burns

Prescribed burns are frequently used to reduce the amount of fuel available for future wildfires. These planned burns are carried out in the Southeast to prevent wildfires from being started by lightning strikes.

In a press conference, Lt. Kim Montes, a spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol, said, "This is a phenomenon that happens across central Florida with our weather." Edgewater is some of the lowest topography in Volusia County, with elevations as low as 3 feet above sea level, making fog a common occurrence.

During a press conference, the Florida Highway Patrol acknowledged that four distinct incidents involving 11 automobiles happened around 1:30 a.m. On the northbound lane of I-95 around mile marker 244, local time. One person died in one of the four collisions, while many others were sent to a local hospital, including a toddler who is in stable condition. Four tractor-trailers, a van, and an SUV were involved in I-95's southbound lane. According to authorities, two persons were pronounced deceased at the site, and two tractor-trailers were destroyed.

A Florida Department of Transportation video captured the tractor-trailer explosion, which lit up the black night sky with crimson flames.

Interstate 95 is a north-south freeway that runs across the United States. The East Coast is a long stretch of land from Maine to South Florida.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, drivers who were able to speak with officers reported that visibility had suddenly plummeted to zero and that they couldn't see more than a few inches in front of their vehicle.

"We had our chain-reaction collisions because some of those cars pulled over in the shoulder, and some stopped in the road," Montes added.

When these controlled burns occur, the Florida Highway Patrol, Division of Forestry, and National Weather Service have a system in place. However, because the Florida Highway Patrol was unaware of the fire ahead of time, no troopers were stationed in the area at the time of the incidents.

According to Montes, their objective is to constantly keep on top of things and monitor these sorts of fog and smoke concerns to stay on top of things.

Fog Alert

A high fog alert has been issued for the area till Thursday AM. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The fog began to clear in the region about noon local time.

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, Interstate 95 will likely stay blocked until the Florida Highway Patrol investigates the crashes.

"It's a reminder for anyone driving, especially in the overnight hours when we seem to have this problem," Montes said. "If you come across this sudden smoke and fog mixture, the best thing to do is activate your hazard lights, turn off your radio so you can hear, use the roadway markings as your guide if you can't see the roadway, and if you feel unsafe driving, pull off the road completely, and then you're not in the travel lane."

1990 Super Fog

On Dec. 11, 1990, a super fog event in Tennessee was also responsible for one of the deadliest accidents in US history, a fatal pileup collision involving over 100 automobiles.

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