43 cars that skidded and slid down Florida piled up in torrential downpour

Authorities say a sudden, heavy downpour may have caused 43 cars to pile up on a highway in Orlando, Florida, during a Friday afternoon commute.

Orlando Fire Department spokeswoman Ashley Papagni said only one person involved in the pileup was transported to a hospital with minor injuries.

Orlando police spokesman Andrea Ortero said: “It seems at this point the main cause is the weather. “There was a heavy shower that was just starting to create a slippery road.”

National Weather Service Office serving the Orlando area speak Unsettled weather, including lightning and possibly hail, came today “slightly earlier than expected.”

Federal forecasters say tropical ocean breezes collide with the cold front to create stormy conditions, which could continue into the night.

Officers responded to multiple reports of collisions along the westbound portion of the tollway that runs through the city shortly before 5 p.m., the Orlando Police Department said.

Traffic, which was diverted to highway and toll lanes, was delayed by at least an hour as officers investigated the cause and the wreckage was removed, Orlando police said.

Just before 8 p.m., set tweeted that all lanes have been reopened on the westbound highway.

Juliette Arcodia contribute.

at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here