I-10 Dust Storm Claims Seven

Oh, NO! Not again. We drove this stretch of I-10 Thursday. There was a lot of wind & in places a goodly amount of dust, but nothing extreme. This must have happen later. Always thankful for a safe trip. I need to re-read it, but didn't say what time of day it happened, nor the mile marker. Except, I believe, it said 60 miles East of AZ/NM state line. Which would put it between Lordsburg & Deming.

We haven't watched a local news report in a while. Didn't know it had happened.

After reading it again & then checking on KDBC-TV Local News out of El Paso, which said, Quote:
It happened around 5:30 p.m. on the I-10 at about the 6 mile post.

Three passenger cars, one recreational vehicle (RV) and three Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) were involved.

A sudden dust storm that limited visibility to almost nothing caused the first car to stop abruptly, causing a chain reaction of rear end collisions, according to police.

The three cars and CMV's caught on fire and burned completely. The RV sustained some burn damage as well.

The roadway is damaged because of the car fire so officials urge to exercise caution when driving in this area. Un-Quote.

This would place the side in the area that has cost many lives over the years, 6 miles into New Mexico at a Playa or dry lake. It has some dry grass as can be seen in the photo, but in other areas it is talcum-like salty silt. It had the most dust blowing when we did the drive between 1 or 2 pm Mountain Standard time. We were home by the time the accident occurred. It had multiple Dust Devils playing out in it when we went by. One big one came in as we got to it, I slowed a little, but no one close by at the time behind me & didn't stop. It was no where near a blackout.

Normally, I check weather reports before we leave, but didn't this time. We even had a little rain before then & after.

This section of I-10 from the state line to almost Lordsburg had just been re-paved not too many months ago.

Have often seen scorched spots on the 10, but this fire must have been extremely extreme.

The lead auto did the most dangerous thing anyone could do, "stop abruptly". The signs tell people not to stop in the roadway, but to pull off the hwy. (& turn lights off as well, I believe).

So sad.

Be Safe Out There!

naturist wrote:
I beg to differ: get the H$^%&#*ll off the road!!!

"The lead car stopped on the freeway" thereby proving once again the the only resource the human race has in truly unlimited quantities is stupidity.

Folks, be smart; if you are ever caught in a sudden black out, white out, snow squall, dust storm, fog, or anything else that wipes out your vision, yes, get on the brakes, but even more importantly, GET OFF THE ROADWAY because right behind you (even if you didn't see them before) is someone who will try to power on through where you just were. If they are going to plow into something, let it be somebody/something else, not you.

Yup, get as far from the pavement as you can and shut your lights off and stay off the brake. When people can't see they'll try to follow the tail lights and run right over you.

I beg to differ: get the H$^%&#*ll off the road!!!

"The lead car stopped on the freeway" thereby proving once again the the only resource the human race has in truly unlimited quantities is stupidity.

Folks, be smart; if you are ever caught in a sudden black out, white out, snow squall, dust storm, fog, or anything else that wipes out your vision, yes, get on the brakes, but even more importantly, GET OFF THE ROADWAY because right behind you (even if you didn't see them before) is someone who will try to power on through where you just were. If they are going to plow into something, let it be somebody/something else, not you.