Dustin Middlebrooks works for Alabama Power as a contractor through Personal Touch in Demopolis, and Tuesday, he and his crew were in Birmingham.

They were stuck in traffic from 2:30-6 p.m. Tuesday before being able to head back toward Demopolis.

“The traffic may have moved 10 miles per hour during those hours, but once on I-459 south bound, traffic speed picked up to about 55 in the center lane and roads seemed a little safer closer to Tuscaloosa,” he said.

He added that he and his crew tried to call hotels in Birmingham, but all 10 they attempted to call said they were booked, and some even said they had people sleeping in the lobby to stay out of the cold.

“There were probably about 25 wrecks from John Hawkins Parkway in Birmingham to Tuscaloosa,” Middlebrooks added. “The roads were so frozen over people were sliding all over the interstate.”

Middlebrooks said they helped pull the Hoover Fire Chief out of a ditch he had slid into trying to get through traffic to help others

“There were people who happened to have food in their cars that were handing out snacks and drinks to help others out,” he said.

Middlebrooks said he and his crew arrived safely back in Demopolis at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday evening.