[1-81-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Denise]

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[Super=19-Denise/Allen]

Several people have died in a mutil-vehicle accident. It has closed I-81, northbound, from Natural Bridge to Lexington.
State police have set up a detour: All northbound traffic on I-81 should exit at 150, take 220 North to Covington, then 64 east to Lexington to get back onto I-81.
Several vehicles and more than 3 tractor trailers were involved.

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[L'burg Ax]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
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[WRITER=jmc]
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[super=19-Denise/Allen]

Three people were hurt this morning in a pile-up on the Carter-Glass Bridge south of Madison Heights.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Amherst Co.;]

It started around 9 when a woman headed south on Rt 29 began sliding on the ice then stopped her vehicle in the middle of the road.
Another motorist stopped to help her move to the side of the highway, but by then other cars began sliding to avoid them.
A tractor trailer jack-knifed side-swiping this Jeep Cherokee.
Both persons in the jeep and the truck driver were trasported to Lynchburg General Hospital.
Their injuries are not believed to be serious.
State Police are deciding whether to file charges.
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[denise toss Andrew][Explosion]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
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A natural gas pipeline exploded early this morning in Wytheville.
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[take gfx map 100 Essc] It happened around 2 o'clock sending flames nearly 300-feet into the air. Firefighters were unable to get close to the fire when they arrived because the blaze was so intense.
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The say the blaze could be seen from 10-miles away. No one was injured seriously, but two firefighters were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Because of the disruption of natural gas service, a shelter has been set up at George Wyhte High School. Officials say they do not know what caused the explosion.