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SHIRLEY, N.Y. -- A tractor-trailer hauling debris from superstorm Sandy triggered a deadly 35-vehicle pileup on the Long Island Expressway in New York on Wednesday afternoon, police said.
The truck struck several cars near exit 68 in the town of Shirley, which is located about 70 miles east of New York City.
The collision set off a chain-reaction crash that left the tractor-trailer and two additional vehicles ablaze. A 68-year-old woman driving a Toyota Camry was killed, police said. An additional 33 people were injured, including a 57-year-old man who is in serious condition.
A car involved in the initial collision with the tractor-trailer was incinerated beyond recognition, with its tires punctured and paint burned off its body. Some SUVs and cars suffered extensive damage while others appeared to have barely a scratch; all were haphazardly stopped across the highway, which is up to six lanes in parts.
'It sounded like thunder'
One driver described the crash unfolding next to him while he was on the freeway.
"All we heard was crashing behind us, it sounded like thunder," said Jimmy Batjley. "Looking back, all I saw was glass and metal, and they went right past us, at least 40 miles per hour."
"If you can imagine all the cars were lined up, and [the tractor-trailer] just came right in and just pushed that entire line," said Batjley. He said the tractor-trailer driver was pulled out before the truck burst into flames.
Full Sandy coverage from NBC News
Aerial footage provided by News12 Long Island showed the trailer partly incinerated at dusk, alongside at least two cars that appeared to be blackened and burned. Multiple other vehicles, including a box truck, were scattered nearby, apparently having collided into one another or the guardrail.
The tractor-trailer was driven by 42-year-old Raymond Simoneau of Rockingham, Vt. Police told The Associated Press that Simoneau wasn't injured.
The tractor-trailer and several of the vehicles involved in the crash were impounded for safety checks.
Five fire departments responded to the scene as well as 19 Emergency Medical Services agencies, police said.
The weather was clear at the time of the crash, according to Reuters.
"Anybody rolling up on this scene you would think there would be definitely more than just one fatality," said John Mirando, chief of the Ridge Fire Department. "It's just lucky that it's only one, but it could have been a lot worse."
NBCNewYork.com, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Leave a Comment:
Let's ban big trucks.They drive to fast and they carry to much cargo. If this was a small truck maybe a couple of cars and maybe the person would not have been killed.
Maybe it would be best for the grownups to make decisions while trolls troll.
What have you done for the good of society, for the good of your fellow citizens, in the last week or month...or even year? We all need to answer that question.
See Ant, you are part of the problem. No one can make a statement without you trying to insult them. This really ruined my day and just reenforces the rational that we are surrounded by mean people that unless you agree with them you are a troll or not a grownup.
He paid taxes, isn't that the liberal form of charity? Let the government decide which charities you give to? Id say every tax paying american is doing their part, how about you?
If anything ban cars on the highways. Trucks haul our goods, the bigger the better.
I feel bad for the truck driver, those guys get little respect.
If it wasn't for big trucks you would be wiping your but with your finger
Voodkokk, why do let stupid people bother you so much. It's not their fault they are the way they are. Feel sorry for them because their hate has consumed them to the point of it is the only thing that defines them.
Voodkokk - You dont think things thru before you write, do you? Ranks in the topcomments ever posted in the history of internet....
Hey Steve and Ant, did you ever see the trucks pulling three trailers? Do you know why you don't see them anymore? You guys are clueless. These big trucks tear up the highways and they drive too FAST. Have you ever seen a 50 or 100 car/truck pile-up? Go back to kindergarten.
ok ,whatever on banning whatever.
Actually, my husband drives a big truck. If we ban them, how are you going to get your groceries? Or the other stuff you buy? You DO realize that everything that you buy is shipped in BIG TRUCKS, right?
The Interstate highways were built for the military primarily. Next in terms of importance of use is the BIG TRUCKS since they carry all of the stuff that is important in terms of our consumer society - like food, clothing, electronics, toys (both kids' and adults') ... Passenger vehicles are ALLOWED to use the Interstates, but they are NOT who the Government designed the road for. They also are actually frequently the CAUSE of those pile-ups as they cut big trucks off without a care or understanding that it takes MUCH longer for a big truck to stop. Are there bad truck drivers? Certainly ... but most are PROFESSIONALS who give up time with their families so that YOU can buy the latest XBOX 360 game.
So, in terms of going back to Kindergarten ... please proceed with all haste. Or stay off the big roads and confine yourself to the back, country roads where there are fewer large vehicles. Also, please learn how to drive and have courtesy for the other drivers on the road - not just the big trucks that the Interstates were partially DESIGNED for, but the other 4-wheeled vehicles. At least the 18 wheeler drivers are PROFESSIONALS and have to jump through a lot more hoops than you do in order to continue driving - both in terms of their ability AND their vehicles.
Sounds to me like you just gave the teamsters legislation to push forward. They can ban all big trucks, requiring hundreds more new drivers for more small trucks, and being a union, the dems would push it through by tomorrow.
The Interstate was designed for big trucks? I have spent over 32 years defending my country and do not need your permission to drive on the big roads. Who do you think paid for those big roads, the Gov't. Who is the Gov't and where do they get their money? Also I never said that truckers were non-professionals and I have made more trips across these great United States than I can remember. So before you go off half-cocked then you need to read what people say.
Finally some good ideas out of trudat6445. I've waited sooooo long.
I have been traveling the LIE for too many years. The problem is: PEOPLE that don't know how to drive! I thought I have seen it all when I observed the driver of the car in traffic next to me eating cereal out of a bowl with his spoon, holding the bowl while driving. There are accidents every day, most of them rear-end collisions. And yet: people still tailgate! I have been hit in back of my car 3 times, have permanent health problems because of that (one of those drivers was a cop) Biggest problem: people don't pay attention and don't obey the traffic rules which are not being enforced. And no, I have never even had as much as a parking ticket, driving for almost 40 years.
Cat- he's just being facetious. He is stuck in "you'll-have-to-pry-my-gun-from-my-cold-lifeless-fingers" mode from all the gun debates going on in slightly more relevant articles. He is trying to suggest that because people operating cars and trucks kill people ( almost always accidentally) they should be subject to the same sort of scrutiny we are giving the issue of gun ownership. He is also unwittingly constructing a logical fallacy known as a "Straw man". You see, we are reading what people are saying, and they are often saying more than they realize.
Of course it is not the trucks that are the problem. The problem is that people drive too fast and to close to the vehicles in front of them. They talk on the phone ( and the CB) whist driving. They even try to text each other.
Slow down, pay attention. You will be glad when you are alive and uninjured at your destination.
Its funny and sad that a extreme leftist finds a sarcastic comment to be a good idea, i believe that is the issue with the country, you libs cant tell reality from fantasy.
Let's blame blame everything except the real problem, WE are the problem..... and the answer!!!
Sounds like an oxmoron?
Merry Christmas to Everyone! Be safe and respectful and we will all get a lot further in life.......
I demand Obama to take action and have a ban on cars by January!!!
Obama must act now! This calls for a bailout. Give all car owners who have driven on the LIE a check for $5,000.
Yes, ban all cars/trucks from the roads. After all, it the vehicles fault people are hurt/killed daily from accidents. God for bid if you blame the driver behind the wheel who really caused it. Always blaming "the object" for a "persons actions". Yep, that's the liberal way.....never blame the person........
I was driving out east on the LIE last night. The VMS signs all said to exit the HOV lanes to allow emergency vehicles to pass. Took the service road, then the local streets and they were moving at a crawl just like normal.
At the bar last night some guys were saying a paving project ahead of the crash may have been a factor. The lanes were closed with too short a taper. Cars were stopping suddenly and the truck driver probably didn't realize it until it was too late. With his heavy load he likely just plowed through.
Guns are a small problem compared to the psychopaths on the HWYS murdering and threatening others with their motorized weapons.
We are going to force obamma into truck control, its terrible the way the trucks are always over loaded driving faster that their air brakes can handle, yep biden is going to have some work ahead of him, now that the satire I wrote is over after 3 million miles on the open road sometimes being a owner and others a company driver more than once in a construction zone the car drivers flying up and forcing the truck to have to take emergancy evasive action it amazes me why there are not more dead drivers out on the road, and remember before you go flaming me Truck Drivers are regulated so heavily and have to take more traing before they can drive trucks it is more streanuous than car driving school, the lady that destroyed the hood on my last truck ruined a wheel and tire costing many thousands of dollars damage to the truck told the cop " well he should have been able to stop and let me in" I was already at the point of commitment in the lane she also destroyed a few barriers. So to everyone take your time approaching the construction zones if you are going to be late, you should have left earlier, and remember also the construction workers and Police have a right to be able to go home everynite! and no I didn't have a gun with me, I do now! Iam retired from driving and dont miss it!
The Truck Safety Coalition is a partnership between The Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) Foundation, and Parents Against Tired Truckers (P.A.T.T). The Truck Safety Coalition is dedicated to reducing the number of deaths and injuries caused by truck-related crashes, providing compassionate support to truck crash survivors and families of truck crash victims, and educating the public, policy-makers and media about truck safety issues.
Arlington, VA (December 10, 2012): The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) revealed today that truck crash fatalities increased in 2011, while overall traffic fatalities decreased, for the second consecutive year. The greatest change in truck crash fatalities occurred in the truck occupant category which showed a 20-percent increase. This dangerous trend serves to emphasize the safety issues with large trucks, which impose tremendous risk toboth passenger vehicle occupants, as well as to truck drivers.
Daphne Izer, founder of Parents Against Tired Truckers (P.A.T.T.) after her son Jeff and three of his friends were killed in a truck crash,stated, “Truck driving is consistently listed in the top ten most dangerous jobs. Drivers are pushed to their limits regularly working 14 hour days, including overnight shifts, day-in and day-out. It’s just not humanly possible to keep up that pace and it negatively impacts safety, both for the truck driver and for the rest of us who drive alongside these huge rigs. Recently, it was reported that the trucking industry’s turnover rate climbed over 90-percent, and it’s no wonder as to why. Truck drivers are exposed to daily dangers, overworked and only make, on average, $38,000 a year. Until the industry improves working conditions and pays a competitive wage, they’ll continue to lose experienced drivers and we’ll continue to be subjected to unnecessary dangers on our roadways.”
very well said
The NRA can breathe a sigh of relief: No high-powered assault weapons were involved in this death. Not this time, at least.
Hugo Chavez is your avatar
how telling
And look closer at his posting handle. Al Kyda. Probably thinks he's funny.
Busted on both counts!
Actually the highway system was NOT built for the military. It was pushed through by Dwight Eisenhower. It took him over 6 months to travel across the United States before the War. When he became president this project he pushed through. It gave millions jobs right after World War Two.
I have seen 3 generations of one family killed by a careless truck driver here in Texas. They later learned he did not even speak english. They do drive too fast. And not all of them are good drivers. Here in Texas it is NAFTA that does the worst damage. Mexican drivers and trucks that zoom through here and often during rush hour traffic. I wouldn't mind my groceries delivered by and American in an American registered and paid for truck if even a little late.
Thanks, Texas Grace. I knew this but I didn't want to bother to try and correct someone who is mired in their own lack of intelligence.
Dwight ( Ike ) David Einsenhower was the president credited with building our modern highway system, and Republicans, as well as all Americans can remember him fondly, and proudly for that. However, what actual purpose does that fact have to add to this discussion, except to politicize the issue, and essentially obfuscate it? If you must politicize the issue, though, laud FDR for the many work projects, such as the TVA, and the WPA, which provided a downtrodden workforce with millions ofjobs, and prepared the infrastructure necessary to begin a national highway system.
Now I can see why you introduced a political non sequitur into the discussion; you needed it to justify the racism blatant in your next paragraph. Can you document the accidents that killed your anecdotal "3 generations of one family killed by a careless truck driver here in Texas"? I don't mean the event itself, it may have been in the news; things like that do happen. I want to know how that led you to a blanket indictment of Mexicans, either nationals, or American citizens. How do you know they are all foreign citizens working a NAFTA created job in America, and apparently crossing the border to provide you with your groceries? Personally, I believe you're so entrenched in your xenophobia that you're displacing your frustrations onto others you feel comfortable in saddling with your bitter vitriol.
The Highway system would also allow troops to be quickly disbursed across the nation.
Tony Rivers - You're funny!
Jesus must be upset about gun control.
This article is about a pile-up on a highway. WTH does that have to do with gun control? And it does not have anything to do with politics either!
Jesus still loves you even though you mock him.
His stripes washed away your sins.
Merry Christamas bioparahti
Oh we better ban those cars and trucks, oh and since a winter storm is hitting better ban that snow. This is the idiots of America over that gawd dam shooting. A total ploy to get the idiots of America reved up for the " banning of guns" when if the morons had any brains, they would realize the Criminals are still going to have guns anyway. How efffn dumb do you have to be to NOT know this.
wait i have the answer.mabey oboma can ban all those killer cars and trucks.with all the guns and cars gone it will be eutopia......ahhhhhhhhhhh.just what i have been waiting for.the goverment will take care of all my needs.awesome
Perhaps while you're googling for a spell checker, you can find a facts checker, as well? President Obama has never proposed taking away guns from eligible Americans. On the other hand, given the stupidity and irresponsibility of some people, there will always be unfortunate accidents during rough weather conditions.
As for the actual issue, the industry has provided a number of innovative safety features to cars and trucks over the years, but but the best safety feature is good, old common sense. In inclement, or rough weather, obey the traffic laws, be patient and slow down, giving yourself plenty of time to stop safely in bad road conditions, and use the tools manufaturers have put at your disposal, such as four wheel drive, tire chains in snowy, blizzard conditions, etc.. Patience and respect are the significant common sense factors, additionally.
There are no new reasonable and sensible laws that could have prevented the serious and tragic pileup that occurred; nor can we say with reasonable certainty that some accidents aren't simply unavoidable under the safest and best of conditions, Brakes do give out inexplicably, people are distracted, a child screams in the car for no apparent reason, whatever. The real issue is how we minimize such tragic events, and the answers are clearly not rocket science.
Why do some folks always have to turn every discussion into opportunities score points in an unrelated argument? This is not about politics, or political philosophies. It's not your chance to spread venemous contention, or antisocial hyperbole. We're not wild animals fighting over a dead carcass, so why should we behave like them? Yes, I am a bleeding heart, left of my political affiliation, bleeding heart liberal; but the only connection I can see between partisan politics and road accidents is a matter of our national failure to maintain the infrastructure, and it hasn't been established that bad roads played a part in this tragic accident. If some people can't understand that, perhaps they don't belong in a civil discussion?
Tony,
the road condition was not rough, it was broad daylight with dry condition. There was a bottleneck at a construction site. Seems the truck driver did not stop in time, unless his brakes gave out. Biggest problem on the LIE is irresponsible drivers.
OK people, it's time we talk about banning Tractor Trailer Trucks! They kill too many people when they crash! Obama needs to get on top of this immediately and we as citizens demand that he appoints someone to look into this and he should demand something on the table by February (January is already busy with the gun bans). We do not need to ban all Tractor Trailers, just the ones that use more than 12 wheels! Who needs 18 wheels to drive down the highway anyway! Anything with 18 wheels should be for just military and government use only! Now let's get this done Obama!
what time is the news conference Obama and Bloomberg are having to outlaw vehicles?
In a couple hours. I heard Obama is flying to the scene of the crash and will start his own committe.
"Anybody rolling up on this scene you would think there would be definitely more than just one fatality," said John Mirando, chief of the Ridge Fire Department. "It's just lucky that it's only one, but it could have been a lot worse."
-How can one fatality be lucky?
I recall some 20 years ago or so big rig drivers on the road were courteous, patient, pretty much all around good drivers. I do and have spend about 60k miles a year on the road in my car on average since that time. It seems clearly to me that things have significantly changed now. The big rigs drivers are far more hazardous in their driving skills, they often violate road laws, deliberately threaten and incite fear into smaller car drivers and, act as though they own the road. How these truckers are being selected today appears to be far less careful and they should be monitored far more than ever.
Agreed. On the NJ Turnpike, there are two sets of roads : 1) cars 2) all traffic. At one time, you always preferred to drive with the trucks in the all traffic section because the trucks were safer. No more. There are now more accidents on that section.
At the same time, car drivers are also more hazardous in their driving skills, often violate road laws, and deliberately threaten other drivers (tailgating, cutting people off, etc.), and act as though they own the road. You can have bad truck drivers the same as you can have bad car drivers. Both can cause accidents. And a car can cause an accident with a truck that makes the truck hit other vehicles.
I can not speak to all drivers. I can, however, speak to what I have personally observed in the DC Metro area and in NJ when I lived there. The biggest threat on the roads - especially in metropolitan areas - is the driver of the vehicle on 4 wheels. I have seen a number of cars/SUV's cut off other drivers - ALL types of drivers, tailgate, drive with distractions, weave in and out of traffic and generally be in a big freaking hurry to get wherever they are going. I have seen cars "dive" into a space that a big rig had deliberately left to allow for his increased stopping distance from the car in front of him with no regard for their own safety or the safety of others on the road. On the NJ turnpike, I've PERSONALLY had other vehicles cut me off at the last minute just so they can get through the tollbooths faster, leaving me to slam on my brakes in order to not hit them. I've seen vehicles change lanes without looking and had to swerve on the Garden State Parkway when a vehicle tried to come over into my lane and would have made for a HUGE crash involving multiple vehicles. Luckily, I only had the Jersey Wall eat MY vehicle and no other vehicles were involved.
Truck drivers these days have mandatory rest periods. The "14 hours a day" that they are driving includes the time for them to eat, take bathroom breaks, wait to be unloaded at their destination etc. If the driver is a solo driver, he MUST take 10 hours of down time per day. If a driver is part of a team, they are allowed to operate 24 hrs a day, but the team member who is not driving must spend time asleep. Logbooks are going all electronic and digital these days with GPS integrated which also allows for MPH calculations. It tracks when the truck is actually rolling and when it is stationary. There is no way to "fudge" the log book, and there is no way to "fudge" the MPH calculations which can lead to fines and loss of the CDL. There are more drowsy CAR and SUV drivers on the road than drowsy tractor-trailer drivers. People in the "civilian" world think nothing of continuing to drive if they've been awake for 18 hours. Note .. that's four hours MORE than the CDL driver is allowed to drive without rest. My husband has logged more than a million miles with his CURRENT company ... prior to that he worked for a different company as a team driver. He has been driving for over 10 years now with a CDL.
Are there "bad truck drivers"? Certainly. But I guarantee you that the percentage of bad truck drivers is MINUSCULE compared to the percentage of 4-wheel drivers who are bad. Cars/SUV's can and DO cause accidents with trucks that take out other vehicles - and the TRUCKER is always the one that the public blames. Even on articles where it clearly states that a car/SUV/pick-up driver was DRUNK OFF HIS A$$ and CUT the truck off, the public blames the professional driver for the accident. WHY?
Let's have Joe Biden spearhead a committee to investigate which Constitutional rights should limited to prevent future 35 car pileups.
Let's have you spearhead a committee against inane posts.
I think we should outlaw tractor trailers, they are way too dangerous and we might as well outlaw cars that travel over 5 mph, way dangerous also. This is how stupid things are getting and under "King" Obama they will get much worse. Please 12/21/12 be true so this earth can start all over without these crazy people in Washington!
if cars were banned from our highways things like this wouldn't happen. ford is calling back 145,000 defective trucks. where is the out cry to get these killers off the road?
obama better outlaw all motor vechiles.
and sodas larger than 16 oz
sugar is a killer as well
Cars must be "controlled" only those with valid licenses should drive maybe do some testing on people to make sure they can drive and make licenses a legal requirement.
That way no one without a license will drive.
Oh wait that does not work people with no insurance and no licenses still drive and kill and injure people.
"MR PRESIDENT please help us and protect us from the cars
More lazy Journalism and stupidity on the internet...The accident didn't happen in Shirley. A quick look on Google Maps would have let the journalist know this. It happened on the LIE near the Shirley exit. Get it right dammit!
Shirley is the white trash haven a little further south.
Like the time they wrote that Porches were racing down the highway in NJ (in stead of Porsches). Literacy is lacking in journalism across the board.
The time for car control is NOW! Think of the children! How many more Long Island Massacres will it take?
I think we have all seen how aggressive some of these big rig truck drivers can be. I have had some of these truck drivers tail-gaiting me, mere feet off of my rear bumper on more than 1 occasion. The driver has to know that if I tap on my brake for whatever reason (imagine having to brake on the LIE!) he will murder me and my entire family, as he would never be able to stop in time. Here is Nassau County, they have started charging some of these dwi drivers with murder in some of these accidents that include fatalities. Perhaps some of these aggressive/distracted drivers (both car and truck) who cause fatalities might merit the same consideration.
Nothing angers me more than these sickos who abuse children. Well actually that is not correct. What angers me more is the justice system who lets these people do it. Marijuana smokers get harder time than these paedophiles. I am not saying she has been in the system and released but many are. The damage they cause the victim is immeasurable. They often end up abusing others themselves. It is a vicious circle. There really should be a death penalty for this. These people should never walk around freely once they have been caught.
And what does that have to do with this article?