West coast evacuees riding out storm at Alligator Alley service plaza
MIAMI - Some people who fled Hurricane Ian's path sought shelter in South Florida.
"I just decided last night. I heard there was going to be huge surges and I decided it was better to be safe than sorry. I just drove to here, basically, and I'm kinda camping out at the gas station. I'm going to stay here until it goes by and then go home," one woman told CBS4's Ted Scouten at the Miccosukee Service Plaza on Alligator Alley, off Snake Road.
She wasn't alone. One man said it was the perfect spot to ride out any impacts of the storm.
"It's a parking area, rest area for truck drivers and travelers. It's got a safe house building. The fire department is there and the sheriff's department is there. They got an ambulance that's parked there all the time," he said.
Many said they drove in from places like Fort Myers, Pine Island, and Punta Gorda and stopped to get gas because it wasn't available on the west coast. While some said they planned to stay there until the storm passed, others said they were heading to Fort Lauderdale and Miami to get a hotel.