No one was injured when a semi struck rear-ended a car on West Erie Avenue in Lorain this morning, but the accident and a handful of others around Lorain County illustrate that drivers need to continue to be cautious on the roads.

An multiple car accident just after noon shut down state Route 58 southbound in Amherst in front of Moosehead restaurant.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Northern Ohio, including Lorain County, in effect until 4 this afternoon.

Freezing drizzle mixed with some snow ill continue into the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. The freezing drizzle will be heavy enough to cause a coating of ice, leaving untreated roads and sidewalks slippery.

Photos by Chronicle Photo Chief Bruce Bishop.

Lt. Travis Hughes at the Elyria post of the State Highway Patrol described today’s road conditions as “isolated snow and icy spots.”

“People just need to realize that even though there may be no precipitation, they still need to allow time to get to their destination and just slow down,” Hughes said.

The West Erie Avenue accident occurred just east of Baumhart Road near the old Ford plant. The vehicles were both westbound a little after 10 a.m. when the semi, which is owned by the city of Elyria, struck the black Chevrolet Malibu from behind.

No one was injured, and the accident has now been cleared.

Other accidents today included a rollover crash in Elyria, an accident involving a school bus and a minivan in Amherst, a rollover crash on state Route 10 in North Olmsted and multiple reports of cars spinning out and going off roadways and into ditches. No major injuries have been reported.

Contact Rona Proudfoot at 329-7124 or rproudfoot@chroniclet.com.

LORAIN — A family of five escaped a fire at their Lorain home this morning.

The Fire Department was called to 2820 Forest Lane, off of Meister Road on the city’s west side, about 6 a.m.

First responders reported that smoke and flames were coming from the home’s second story, and that the fire appeared to be in the home’s attic. The fire was under control in about 10 minutes, according to fire Lt. Mark Nunez.

Photos by CT Web editor Rona Proudfoot.

The fire started in the area of a ceiling light over a kitchen sink, Nunez said, and damaged the unit’s kitchen and attic.

Twania Henderson, who lives in the second story of the two-family home with her husband and three children, said she woke up, went to the kitchen and could see smoke and a small amount of fire. She woke everyone up, and they all got outside safely.

Damage was estimated at $25,000 to the property and $2,000 to its contents, Nunez said.

Henderson and her family were not able to stay in the house and are being assisted by the Red Cross.

Contact Rona Proudfoot at 329-7124 or rproudfoot@chroniclet.com.

Rescue crews have been busy all morning responding to accidents as the wintry weather poses problems for drivers.

The morning was full of reports of cars going off roadways.

Two people were taken to EMH Regional Medical Center after a two-car accident a little after noon in the eastbound lanes of the Ohio Turnpike near the Elyria-North Ridgeville border.

A car with North Carolina plates apparently lost control and T-boned a car with New York plates.

The two people hurt were in the car from New York. Three others refused treatment at the scene.

Traffic on the Turnpike was slowed as crews work to clean up the accident scene.

About an hour later crews responded to a rollover accident on Baumhart Road just north of state Route 113 in Henrietta Township and reported they would be taking one person to Allen Memorial Hospital in Oberlin.

GRAFTON TWP. — Two people were killed in a fiery crash a little after midnight Thursday on state Route 57 in Grafton Township, and the road was closed the rest of the night as crews responded.

A pickup was traveling northbound on Route 57 near Highland Drive, just south of Grafton, when it went left of center, according to the Elyria post of the Ohio Highway Patrol. The truck was struck by a southbound semi, and both burst into flames.

The driver of the pickup, Donald E. Berg, 49, of Columbia Station, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the patrol. A passenger in his truck also died, but the passenger’s identity had not yet been confirmed late Thursday.

Photos of the two vehicles today at Dunlap’s Towing:

Scroll down for more photos.

The driver of the semi, William T. Bennett, 35, of Louisville, Ohio, a driver for Frito-Lay, was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Both vehicles were heavily damaged and were towed from the scene.
The driver of the semi was wearing a seat belt, but it is unknown if the two people in the pickup were.
It is unknown if alcohol was a factor, and the crash remains under investigation.
The Ohio Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Grafton Fire Department and EMS, Grafton Police Department, Lorain County coroner’s office, Ohio Department of Transportation and Dunlap’s Towing.
Thursday’s double-fatal crash in Grafton Township raised this year’s fatality total to 27 in 24 fatal accidents, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol. That’s down from 30 deaths in 29 crashes last year.

Contact Melissa Hebert at 329-7129 or mhebert@chroniclet.com.

Contact Rona Proudfoot at 329-7124 or rproudfoot@chroniclet.com.

Photos by CT Web editor Rona Proudfoot.