Two people were killed, three other people were injured and Highway 70 was closed in Highlands County for hours early Saturday morning, as the result of a horrific four-vehicle traffic accident south of Lake Placid.
Florida Highway Patrol officials say a pick-up and an SUV collided on ’70 just east of Parkland Drive. Both occupants of the pick-up were killed and a woman in another vehicle was critically injured when she was caught up in the tangle.
Two of the victims reportedly were local high school students. A prayer vigil was held yesterday in Lake Placid in response to the tragedy.
A structure fire in Avon Park had units busy during the pre-dawn hours Saturday. Units arriving at the Gwen Hill Street address found a garage fully involved in flames. Firefighters were able to keep it from spreading into the home and also protected the house next door from significant damage.
No injuries were reported in the incident. No dollar damage estimate was released.
It’s still pretty dry out there. Brush fires kept area firefighters busy this past weekend. A 35-acre blaze shut down the Amtrak rail lines off Rhythm Road east of Sebring – with flames on both sides of the track.
Firefighters reportedly also had to sidestep cows while extinguishing the blaze – which ran for about three-quarters of a mile along the railway. An evaluation of the burned railroad ties is underway. A lightning strike is being blamed for igniting the blaze.
Another brush fire charred some acreage off Hartt Road in Sebring yesterday. No farther details have been released
It looks to be a rather quiet meeting for Avon Park city council members tonight. They are slated to hear a request for a Flag Day celebration, look at renewing a lease for the use of the Mechanic’s Hangar at the Avon Park airport and talk about a memorandum of understanding to join with the state on Opoid Litigation.
In other action, councilwoman Brenda Gray wants to talk about improvements at the much-troubled Lake Tulane and a Redlands Christian Migrant Association ballfield.