Massive pileup on Interstate 95 in North Stafford injures three;
Authorities say more than 120 cars are involved.
By PAMELA GOULD
The Free Lance-Star
Rescue officials are working frantically to clear a massive pileup on
Interstate 95 in North Stafford this afternoon.
The pileup appears to be the worst of a number of wrecks caused by
today's snowstorm.
A smaller pileup has stalled traffic near the Massaponax exit of I–95.
Charlie Robertson, a spokesman for Stafford Fire Company No. 2, said
more than 120 cars are involved in the North Stafford pileup, which
began about three miles north of the Garrisonville Road exit and
stretches at least three miles back to Russell Road.
At least one person suffered life- threatening injuries and two others
were hurt seriously, Robertson said. An untold number of people have
minor injuries.
"The scope of this is so large, we only know what's going on on the back
end via radio on the front end," Robertson said.
Traffic is stopped in the southbound lane and officials are transporting
motorists to Anne Moncure Elementary School on Garrisonville Road to
wait until the scene is cleared.
Robertson said the accident occurred around 10:50 a.m. during a
white-out during a snowstorm.
At least one car and a tractortrailer then caught fire. "Because of the
white-out, there was a road incident and then people were running into
one after another after another," Robertson said.
At least eight ambulances and six fire vehicles have been committed to
the scene, but were delayed because of a fire. A command vehicle was
sent to the scene, but was still stuck in traffic around 2 p.m.
Vehicles are stacked on top of each other in the median and off the
shoulder off I–95. Some vehicles are scattered in the woods off the
road.
Authorities are urging people stuck in the traffic jam to abandon their
cars and walk to the command post near the Garrisonville exit or the
nearest exit ramp to be transported to the school.
Michael Simpson of Stafford, who works for GE Consumer Services, had
just left a call in Prince William County when he got caught up in the
accident.
"It was just like a blank wall," he said of the white-out.
"You couldn‚t see nothing in front of you. You just saw a pair of
lights."
Simpson said he saw a tractor-trailer jackknife and everything went
haywire. He lost control of his van and hit another vehicle. When he got
out of his van, Simpson said he saw a Honda Civic that was crumpled
"like metal going through a shredding machine."
He ran north on the interstate until he found help.
Rescue crews had to cut the woman out of the Civic. Her condition not
known, but a rescue official said she had a pulse.
Richard Ferolito, 56, of New York was headed to Florida with his wife
for week's vacation when he got caught up in the wreck. His Jeep Grand
Cherokee was damaged, but he and his wife were unhurt. "God was with
me," he said.
"Somebody was just huddled around us, that's all I can tell you."
State police are on the scene. Traffic is moving slowly in the
northbound lane of 95, but officials are still busy getting people out
of their cars in the southbound lane and haven't even begun to clear
that wreckage.
Jason Breakiron
Manassas, VA
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