Several truck trains with summer tires have caused problems on the E18 between the center of Ørje and the border with Sweden this afternoon and evening. There is a lot of snow along the E18 in Ørje overnight to Tuesday. Photo: Tomas Muribø / Norwegian People’s Aid Many have sat in queues for several hours, and are running out of both supplies and fuel. According to the police, the Red Cross has now, among other things, been called out to supply motorists with water and warm blankets should the need arise. Norwegian People’s Aid also contributes water, blankets and all-terrain vehicles to help motorists who are stuck. – We have approximately 100 blankets, and the municipality has arranged for some food to be distributed, says Tommy Wahren, operational manager in Mysen and the surrounding Red Cross. Driving conditions were challenging for many on the E18 on Monday. Photo: Petter Larsson The police are asking motorists who are approaching an empty battery on their electric car or an empty fuel tank to call the emergency number 112. The emergency services report that at 11pm they turned some of the vehicles around. – There is quite a long waiting time for our usual number 02800, so it is to avoid missing the important ones, says operations manager in the East police district, Svein Walle to news. – Up to 30 volunteer rescue teams from Norwegian People’s Aid are on their way to Ørje in Østfold to assist, says Tomas Muribø, who is emergency manager for Norwegian People’s Aid in the East police district. Almost six hours in a queue Bente Harlem left work at 15:30 in Askim. Since then, she has been queuing for almost six hours. – I’m getting desperate, because I keep peeing on myself! I’m tired and hungry. But now a policeman has finally arrived to escort me to Ørje, she tells news from the queue. Bente Harlem was stuck in the queue on the E18 for 6 hours. Photo: Bente Harlem She lacks information from the authorities to those who have been caught in the queue. She has received all the information over the phone from acquaintances. – It has been frustrating. While she is talking to news, she starts driving after a police car. The first thing she has to do when she gets home is go to the bathroom. – I know people have peed on bottles and such, but I haven’t managed to do that with my bottle. Many assignments There have been several traffic accidents in Østfold on Monday. So far, drivers in Indre Østfold have been hardest hit by the snowy weather. – We have had over 200 assignments today alone, which is far above normal, says operations manager in the East police district, Svein Walle. – It’s as simple as if you don’t have to drive, it’s best to leave the car standing, he continues. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute has issued a yellow warning for snow for large parts of Eastern Norway. Up to 15 centimeters of snow has been forecast in some places. Wagon train closes E18 E18 is closed at Brennemoenkrysset in Indre Østfold in the direction of Sweden. A lorry train is standing across the road, reports the road traffic centre. The road is unlikely to be reopened until tonight. The recommended detour is via county road 128 Askimveien via Mysen. Several wagon trains with summer tires have previously had problems on the E18 between the center of Ørje and the border with Sweden. The Swedish Road Administration controls truck trains entering Norway. So far today, it has been painless, according to control manager Rune Østli. – We look at tread depth, whether there are marked tyres, and that they have a chain with them. Everyone has had that up until now, says Østli. This is what it looks like at the border crossing in Ørje. The photo was taken at 1:33 p.m. Photo: Web camera / National Road Administration Drove into a wall On Hølandsveien in Trøgstad, a car has skidded off the road and crashed into the foundation wall of a building. The emergency services responded after a car drove into a brick building in Skjønnhaug in Trøgstad. Photo: Freddie Larsen Two cars have collided on Videnesveien in Skiptvet. One of the drivers has been sent to the emergency room for a check-up. In Trøgstad, two cars skidded off Hølandsveien at 07.30. The two descents must have happened completely independently of each other, says operations manager in the police Finn Håvard Aas. No one should be injured. Just after 07:00 a car drove into the ditch on Visterveien in Mysen. – An ambulance has arrived and attended to the patient, says duty manager at the 110 central Kjell Nesset. This is what it looks like on the E18 at the Smaalenenes bridge in Indre Østfold on Monday morning. Photo: Norwegian Road Administration Warns against summer tires The Swedish Road Traffic Center asks motorists who have not yet switched to winter tires to leave their cars parked. – If you don’t have winter tires on, you have nothing to do on the road today, says traffic operator Christofa Key-Nilsen at the road traffic center East to news. Svein Walle in the Eastern police district believes that there are many people who are poorly shod out on the roads in Eastern Norway today. – It is chaotic, with many descents and accidents. Fortunately, much of it has been at low speed, which is due to many people driving calmly. Chaos at tire change Many people waited until the last minute to get their winter tyres. It was clear at the drop-in service of the company Dekkproff on Monday. Outside Østfoldhallen in Fredrikstad, there were rows upon rows of cars ready for a tire change. And they had to wait a long time, according to Joachim Nyseth in Dekkproff. – There has been a full crew here all day, but there is probably a 3-4 hour waiting time as of now. Several had to wait 3–4 hours for a tire change in Fredrikstad on Monday. Photo: Lars Håkon Pedersen / news He and the other employees have had a hectic working day, and would prefer to see the first snowfall be delayed. – We would rather have a smooth flow over time, so that customers did not have to stand in queues for so long. But it never fails, it happens every year, says Nyseth.
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Several traffic accidents in Østfold after snowfall – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
