Lake effect snow, cold blast Northwest Indiana

HAMMOND, Ind. (WLS) -- Drivers in La Porte County moved slowly all day as they faced whiteout conditions due to lake effect snow. Emergency officials warned drivers to slow down, and state troopers responded to numerous weather-related accident calls, including an overturned trailer on westbound I-94 near Michigan City. No one was injured.

Extreme cold froze fire hydrants and made for slick conditions battling a fire at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge near Michigan City Thursday morning. One man jumped from the second floor and firefighters rescued a woman from the same second floor apartment. One firefighter was hurt after slipping on ice.

"When you have water spraying all over then we have icy conditions, and then one of the firefighters slipped on the ice and had to be treated for some injuries," said Tony Drzewiecki, Michigan City Fire Department.

In Hammond there was no snow, but cold temperatures kept people bundled up for another day. For one bricklayer, the weather put a freeze on his workload.

"I own the company. I always tell the guy we are a seasonable business, you got to take it when it is warm. Last year I was working in January. I was working in February. This year I haven't worked since after Thanksgiving Day," Gary Ghezzi said.