Transcript for Death toll rising as the deep freeze moves East
40 million Americans trapped in sub-zero temperatures. Tonight, at least 13 deaths are blamed on the cold. Chicago with wind chills hitting 41 below zero today. Lake Michigan there a frozen mass of ice. Drivers facing whiteout conditions in mansville, new York. And look at this. Firefighters battling freezing temperatures and exploding cars on the top deck of a parking garage. That’s at Newark liberty air fort. Wind chills below zero stretching into the northeast through tomorrow. There is actually concern over the natural gas supply to keep families warm, some communities have been warned to turn their thermostats down. ABC’s whit Johnson leads us off tonight. Reporter: Tonight, the death toll rising as the deep freeze moves east. What’s happening here? Stuck. Reporter: On interstate 81 north of Syracuse, vehicle after vehicle stranded after sliding off the road. Whiteout conditions from lake effect snow making travel impossible. We’ve pulled over the car to the side of the road to wait it out. Take a look in front of us. That’s all you see. Nothing but snow falling at a rate of two to three inches per hour. Across the northeast, fires breaking out in the sub-zero wind chills. In New Jersey — We need water now! Reporter: A ten-alarm monster inferno at this paper mill. The wind is not helping and the cold is causing the fire to spread rapidly. Reporter: The factory encased in ice. No one was hurt, but at least 13 people have died since this polar invasion began. Tonight, police are investigating the death of 18-year-old university of Iowa student Gerald blez. The pre-med major discovered outside a campus building in negative 51 degree wind chill. I want people to remember him as a compassionate person. Reporter: Across the midwest, the cold shattering records. The Chicago river completely frozen over. Our Alex Perez is there. Part of what makes this cold so dangerous is that it is lingering. When it’s all said and done, Chicago will have been under this brutal cold for more than 80 hours. Reporter: Energy companies in Minnesota and Michigan urging customers conserve natural gas. We are appealing to all michiganders to consider reducing your thermostat as much as you can. Reporter: Back in the north country, even hearty ellisburg residents caught offguard. You knew the snow was coming, but did you expect it to be this bad? No, definitely not. And whit Johnson with us live tonight from sandy creek, new York, where the sub-zero wind chills and lake effect snow have been relentless all day. Not surprising tonight, whit, authorities are urging everyone to stay indoors? Reporter: David, that’s right. And that’s because of the treacherous driving condition and severe threat of frostbite. Some parts of upstate New York already got 20 inches of snow. 30-mile-per-hour winds, and it’s not done yet. David? Central New York, my neck of theed woos. Say hi to everyone up there, whit. Let’s get right to ginger zee tonight. She’s along the George Washington bridge at this hour. Ginger, I know this is going to last a little while longer, but there is relief on the horizon? Reporter: Oh, if we can just make it one more day, David, that’s what we’ve got to do. And this is after all-time record lows were set in places like Moline, Illinois, who dropped to 33 below this morning. Look at the winter weather advisories in place. Now they’ve got snow on top of that. Cincinnati, Indianapolis, over to Maryland. Tonight into tomorrow. Frozen precipitation on top of this chill. One more morning like this, 5 below in Boston, 1 below here in New York City. And then, we start to rebound. And rebound big-time. We’re talking close to 70-degree differences in Chicago, New York by Monday will be 50 degrees warmer than we woke up this morning. Wow, incredible whiplash. Ginger, thank you. There is news tonight about the police officer charged with
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