Multiple crashes reported as fast-moving storm slams area
By Associated Press, 3/6/03
ATTLEBORO, Mass. -- Police and emergency officials responded to dozens of crashes and spinoffs in the southeastern portion of the state Thursday, as a fast-moving snow storm wreaked havoc with drivers.
The southbound lanes of Interstate 95 were closed off between the Rhode Island border and Exit 5, near North Attleboro, a nearly 10-mile stretch, after up to 100 vehicles were involved in spin-offs and crashes starting around 11:15 a.m., said state police Sgt. David Paine.
Crashes were also reported on I-95 Northbound, but those lanes remained open, Paine said.
There were reports of multiple injuries, but officials did not have immediately details. Emergency vehicles were headed to the area.
(A State Police spokesman told WBZ Radio that school buses are being used to ferry drivers who have had to abandon their cars to an Attleboro church.)
"There doesn't seem to be one specific area where this is taking place it seems to be spread out all across the region," Paine said. Authorities were unsure if an initial accident had been responsible for a "chain reaction" causing the other accidents.
Authorities were also responding to reports of multiple accidents involving between 30 to 40 vehicles on Route 3 near Kingston and more than 20 vehicles on Route 24 near I-495, Paine said.
The accident happened as a band of heavy, wet snow moved into the area.
"Roads are extremely slick out there with this," said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service at Taunton. "The roads had been warm over the last couple days, and it didn't get super cold and the temperature's been falling. That first snow melted, turned to ice, and now you've got snow on top, which makes for very bad conditions."
Up to 8 inches were expected to accumulate in the southern part of the state.
"It appears the storm came in rather suddenly, and may have caught motorists off guard," Paine said.
