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9 killed, 1 survives when overloaded SUV flips into canal in Florida
Nine people died and one person was seriously injured when an overloaded SUV went out of control on a South Florida road, hit a guardrail and went upside down into a canal, authorities said.
The 2023 Ford Explorer carrying 10 people was traveling south on Hatton Highway near the farming community of Belle Glade at about 7:30 p.m. Monday when it came to a part of the two-lane road that briefly jogs west before again heading south, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said.
The female driver failed to negotiate the turn and went off the road. The SUV hit a guardrail before flipping into a canal that runs parallel to the road, sheriff’s investigators said.
The sheriff’s office told CBS News they do not believe the crash was related to flooding or the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, which slammed into Florida Monday as a Category 1 hurricane.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Tom Reyes told reporters that when crews arrived, the SUV was upside down and partially underwater.
Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, while five died at the hospital. The driver is among the dead. A 26-year-old man who was a passenger was rescued and was in serious condition.
“I’ve been with the department for 20 years and this is one of the most difficult scenes I’ve been on,” Reyes said.
WPEC-TV
According to multiple Ford dealership websites, 2023 Explorers have a maximum capacity of seven people.
No names of the dead, their ages or further details have been released but Reyes said children and adults were in the Explorer, CBS affiliate WPEC-TV reported.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families during this heartbreaking incident,” the sheriff’s office wrote on social media.
Belle Glade is just south of Lake Okeechobee and about 45 miles west of West Palm Beach.
Americans are expected to spend more money heating their homes this winter than on holiday gifts, according to new research.
The elevated cost of staying warm indoors amid cold outdoor temperatures comes after an unusually hot summer, that led to households spending bigger shares of their budgets on cooling costs, compared with previous years, according to a report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA).
On average, spending on home heating this winter is projected to increase by 8.7% to $941, up from $866 last winter. The increased costs are attributed in part to both expected colder temperatures in the Northeast and Midwest states.
The new average expenditure on heating costs outpaces the $902 the average household is expected to spend on Christmas presents this year, according to a forecast from the National Retail Federation.
What’s driving up home heating costs?
There are different ways to keep residences warm. Families that use electricity to heat their homes are expected to face the largest increase in costs — more than 14% — which will bring the total up to $1,189 from $1,040 from mid-November through mid-March, which NEADA considers to be the winter period.
Driving up prices is the rising cost of updating and maintaining the electric grid. Plus, colder weather is expected to lead to increased consumption.
“It’s colder, and the cost of electricity is up as the grid is rebuilt. So we’re seeing both higher prices and greater usage,” NEADA Executive Director Mark Wolfe told CBS MoneyWatch.
Natural gas, propane and heating oil cost differences
Natural gas and propane users are also expected to be hit with bigger bills this winter. Heating costs for natural gas are up just over 3%, for an average cost of $634 for the winter period, compared with $615 for 2023-2024. Costs are expected to rise only modestly in line with wholesale prices.
Propane costs are up 4.4%, with families expected to spend an average of $1,231 heating homes, up from $1,179 last season.
Heating oil costs, by contrast, have declined 2.7%, which means average spending this winter will be $1,518, down from $1,560 last winter.
Early start to the season
November was colder than usual, with temperatures dropping prematurely after a “very expensive summer” of heat waves straining cooling resources, said Wolfe.
Blame climate change for the big swings in temperature, he added.
“Weather conditions can be very unpredictable even though over time, winters are getting warmer and summers are getting hotter. It’s not a straight line, and for consumers, it’s quite upsetting because higher utility bills are coming right before Christmas,” Wolfe said.
Steps to take now
There are steps consumers can take to help keep a lid on home heating costs.
Wolfe urges people to have their thermostats serviced now, before the coldest temperatures of the season roll in. That way, families won’t be on the hook for an emergency repair if their thermostat breaks in the middle of a cold front. A tune-up will also help heating systems run more efficiently, he said.
Always close the furnace flue, or else it will lead heat outside the house, advises Wolfe. Lastly, manually turn down the heat at night, if you can, to save up to 10% on your energy bill.
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There’s still time to become a mega-millionaire for Christmas, but lady luck will have to be on your side.
No one matched Mega Millions‘ all six winning numbers last Tuesday, and the jackpot now stands at $862 million ahead of Friday night’s drawing.
The jackpot has been rolling since it was last won at $810 million in Texas on Sept. 10.
If there is a sole winner, they have a choice between an annuity, with an initial payment and then 29 annual payments, or a one-time lump sum payment. Most winners choose a cash payout.
For Friday night’s drawing, that would be an estimated $392.1 million before taxes.
If won at that level, it would be the largest prize ever won in December and the seventh largest in Mega Millions history.
According to Mega Millions, 13 jackpots have been won during December since the game began in 2002. Three were won in the days after Christmas, while the other 10 were won before Christmas. There has never been a jackpot win on Christmas Day, although over the years drawings have been conducted on Christmas six times – in 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2020.
Mega Millions drawings are held on Tuesday and Friday, tickets cost $2. The odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 303 million.
