Landrum Police say little damage from snow event
Published 6:29 pm Thursday, January 18, 2018
LANDRUM – While Landrum Area Fire and Rescue District helped some tractor-trailers that jack-knifed on Wednesday, Landrum Police Chief Tim Edgens said things went smoothly considering the snow and ice Wednesday. Though roads were icy and there was some traffic, Edgens said they worked only one reportable accident.
“We helped a few cars that couldn’t get up hills,” he said, adding that officers handled traffic as cars got through the worst patches.
The one accident was a simple fender bender on Hwy. 14 around 3:30 p.m. The driver of an SUV heading south on the curve between downtown and the Hay Rack lost control on the ice and slid into a van in the other lane. The SUV pushed the van onto the shoulder, but there were no injuries.
“We were very thankful,” Edgens said.
There was little traffic on the roads Wednesday night and officers helped a few cars that were slipping and sliding Thursday morning. Edgens said SCDOT salted and sanded the main roads late Wednesday night, so things were better Thursday.
“The main roads such as 14 and 176 are fairly clear today [Thursday],” Edgens said. “Many side roads and secondary roads are still completely covered, though.”
On Wednesday someone had strung yellow tape across the Hwy. 14 entrance to Overbrook Drive on the north side of downtown. Edgens said the police did not do that, but saw the tape there. The entrance to Overbrook Dr. includes a steep hill.
Edgens did caution drivers about black ice forming again this evening and making conditions hazardous in the morning. The police department posted a notice on Facebook cautioning drivers about the refreeze Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
“With the temperature rising today [Thursday] there will be a fair amount of the snow melting,” he said. “It will refreeze tonight, so we’ll have ice tonight and it will be bad in the morning.”