Traffic affected for almost 10 hours

NAPLES — Due to a fatality accident that closed U.S. 95 on Tuesday, Feb. 4, many people were stuck in their cars for hours, and first responders spent almost 10 hours out in the snow, handling traffic control.

With snow falling, and darkness setting in, the potential for more accidents to occur was a great concern. South Boundary Fire, with assistance from Paradise Valley Fire, kept the traffic under control, moving the lines as far south as Elmira, and as far north as Moose Valley Farm, as the lines of traffic lengthened.

Both lanes were completely closed from the time the accident occurred at 3:30 p.m., until about 8 p.m., when they opened one lane and began alternating the northbound and southbound traffic.

Both lanes shut down again when Superior Towing & Recovery arrived to remove the tractor trailer involved in the accident.

“Whenever there is a fatality like that, the highway is closed down for hours while all the marking happens — the measurements — so we ran traffic control for most of the time,” said South Boundary Fire Chief Tony Rohrwasser. “We had crews out there that all have to be at work tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. They did fantastic — out there for 10 hours.”

Late into the night, some people fell asleep while waiting in their cars, adding to the long night of safely moving traffic through the accident scene.

“It was a long time,” said Rohrwasser. “Special thanks to the people in the traffic lines stuck for hours with no other way home, thanks for the large majority which were polite and courteous to the responders.”

Both lanes were opened up about 1 a.m. on Wednesday, allowing the first responders to leave the scene.

“Everybody did a great job, from dispatch on down,” said Rohrwasser, talking about multiple calls that came in at the same time. “All of the responders that will get home at 2 a.m. and miss their evening, then get up and be at work first thing in the morning — awesome dedication and commitment to the community they protect.”