making news in america this morning, breaking overnight, a state of emergency declared in west virginia. what happened that's making the water unusable for hundreds of thousands of people. apologetic governor. chris christie fires members of his team and addresses the bridge scandal rocking his administration but the firestorm is far from over. fatal plunge. dramatic new video released of a plane crash from inside the aircraft. it's an abc news exclusive. holy cow. a tiny woman takes down a six-pound steak in record time.

good friday morning, everyone. i'm muhammad lila. john muller is off today. >> and i'm marci gonzalez in for diana perez. we begin with breaking news in west virginia. a chemical spill contaminated the water supply to more than 100,000 customers. that includes homes, businesses, even hospitals. >> people are unable to use water for anything. that means no showering, no shaving, no morning coffee and no idea just how much longer it'll take. the problem began here in a storage tank full of chemicals used to process coal and leaked into the elk river supplying water to the entire region. at first the water company thought the treatment plant could filter it out but then learned it hadn't. >> it's clear it migrated through the treatment plant into the system and it's at the customers' taps. >> it is not considered to be toxic but officials aren't sure how much is in the pipeline so they issued a warning, do not use the water at all. within hours, nine counties were included in the advisoradvisory

centers were flooded with calls. >> may change for the good or bad but we're trying to get the information out in a timely manner and not to alarm the people. >> but the rush for water was immediate. after that sold out so did juice, soft drinks, anything liquid leaving customers scrambling for ice. >> i have one neighbor with small children who can't get out an an elderly couple across the street i'm buying for. >> fema and the national guard are working to set up emergency water distribution centers. many schools, restaurants and health facilities will be closed today and we will stay on top of this developing story. also happening right now, the national weather service is working to confirm reports of several tornadoes along florida's atlantic coast. >> last night, strong winds damaged about 30 mobile homes, power lines were also down and some transformers blown but thankfully no reports of any injuries. just north of there, there was widespread flooding in ft. pierce thanks to more than 7 inches of rain. there could be more political bombshells today as

thousands of documents related to the george washington bridge scandal are set to be released. new jersey governor chris christie denies he knew anything about the bridge closure. abc's mary bruce has the latest details, and she joins us from washington. good morning, mary. >> reporter: good morning. well, one of the nation's most intriguing politicians is scrambling this morning to smooth out this scandal that threatens to derail his presidential ambitions. he's the tough talking, no-nonsense star of the republican party, so popular he's considered the front-runner to be his party's presidential nominee in 2016. but today he's in damage control. trying to drive his future out of a political jam over a traffic scandal. >> i come out here today to apologize to the people of new jersey. >> reporter: christie offered an epic mea culpa. for nearly two hours he apologized and cast himself as a take-charge governor. >> ultimately i am responsible

for what happens under my watch. >> reporter: the famously brash politician somber and remorseful. >> i am embarrassed and humiliated by the conduct of some of the people on my team. >> reporter: he was swift to announce he is parting ways with his former campaign manager and has fired the senior aide who sealed her fate with this e-mail. "time for some traffic problems in ft. lee." the message allegedly came after the democratic mayor of ft. lee failed to endorse christie's re-election bid. what came next was a massive four-day traffic jam. christie is famous for his take no prisoners politics but he said his gruff style does not reflect his management. >> i am who i am but i am not a bully. >> reporter: continuing the apology tour he later visited ft. lee to ask the mayor for forgiveness. with calls for a federal investigation and his political add spirit rations on the line can christie survive this? >> what matters in the end is

whether he's telling the truth. >> reporter: christie says he knew fog about his staff's inappropriate behavior. the question now is whether investigators will find any evidence to the contrary. marci? >> mary bruce live in washington. thank you. there's been another fatal air crash involving u.s. service members. the third this week. two troops plus a civilian worker were killed when their plane went down today into eastern afghanistan. the crash appears to have been an accident. there were no -- there was no indication of any enemy fire. the aircraft was packed with different types of ground monitoring equipment. similar to the way predator drones operate. the search was called off for a sailor off the coast of virginia. there's a new warning about home grown terror from the new head of the fbi. james comey says syria has become a training ground for a new generation of terrorists as the civil war rages there. he expressed concern that radical americans are learning

new techniques in syria and slipping back into the u.s. to launch a deadly attack. another major embarrassment for the air force's nuclear missile force. two officers in charge, two officers in charge of missile launches are being investigated for drug possession. the air force has suspended their security clearances. it was revealed last month that the general in charge of the nation's nuclear missiles had been removed after a series of drunken incidents in russia. well, the solar storm that's hurtling a billion tons of material toward our planet at 2 million miles per hour is now slamming into the earth's atmosphere. navigation and communication systems including gps and satellite radio could be impacted by all of the radiation. >> but on the bright side, this solar flare-up could create the best view in years of the northern lights. this picture making the rounds on twitter, it was taken overnight in norway. >> that is beautiful. time now for the weather from across the nation.

let's take a look. more snow snore pennsylvania. upstate new york and northern new england. a wintry mix for the mid-atlantic states. rain from texas all across the south, rain in the plain, snow in the upper midwest, a storm front moving into the pacific northwest. the beginning of several days of wet weather. and 48 degrees in seattle. 30s from denver to minneapolis to chicago. dallas at 62. new york will be 41, and a perfect 74 in l.a. >> i'm jealous. >> me too. all right, coming up, mobile wars. cell phone companies are battling it out, and it is the customers who are winning. plus, moment of impact. dramatic new video from inside a plane as it crashes into the ocean. and a wild police chase ends in a barrage the gunfire. then the explosive finish caught on camera.

welcome back, everyone. this morning's all-important december jobs report is expected to show that the labor market ended the year on an upbeat note. economists predict employers added about 195,000 jobs in december. they say the unemployment rate should hold steady at 7%. as lawmakers on capitol hill battle over renewing unemployment benefits, a new report finds there is plenty of wealth in congress. for the first time ever, more than half of all congressional members are millionaires. the wealthiest lawmaker is california's darrell issa worth about 464 million bucks.

the least wealthiest from california, david velardo, in the red to the tune of negative $12 million. >> wow. well, just days after at&t offered a $450 credit to lure t-mobile customer, t-mobile is trying to one-up the competition doling out -- up to $650 in credit for anyone willing to switch from a rival. $350 to cover your early termination fee and 300 for a phone trade-in. the makers of two luxury cars are enjoying their highest sales ever. rolls-royce delivered more than 3600 cars in 2013, its fourth consecutive record-breaking year. and bentley topped 10,000 in sales. the highest number since the financial crisis in 2007. well, stay with us. coming up next on this, your friday morning, close call. new video this morning of a woman narrowly escaping a car that crashed, my goodness, into a store.

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smoke? nah, i'm good. [ male announcer ] celebrate every win with nicoderm cq, the unique patch with time release smartcontrol technology that helps prevent the urge to smoke all day long. help prevent your cravings with nicoderm cq. ♪ no need to chuck, donate or burn them ♪ ♪ just pack them in our flat rate box ♪ ♪ we'll come to your door and return them ♪ ♪ gifts you bought but never gave away ♪

♪ or said you liked but thought were cheesy ♪ ♪ you don't even need to leave your house ♪ ♪ we'll come and take them, easy-peasy ♪ [ female announcer ] no one returns the holidays like the u.s. postal service. with improved priority mail flat rate, just print a label, schedule a pickup, and return those gifts at a same low flat rate. thick fog is being blamed for a massive pileup on a busy highway in idaho. the nasty chain reaction crash near boise involved 46 cars, trucks and suvs including a flatbed loaded with huge logs and four tractor trailers. ten people were injured but they are all expected to survive. hopefully nothing so bad during this morning's commute, but i-95 was shut down overnight and roads across the south could be slick from rain and ice could be a hazard in the upper

midwest. if you're flying, possible delays in dallas, new orleans, chicago, detroit and memphis. now to that dramatic abc news exclusive video, one passenger's video camera capturing the crash of a small plane off hawaii. >> it happened last month, but this is the first time we're seeing video from the incident which cost one woman her life. just after takeoff disaster in this newly released video you see the ocean surface get closer and closer until impact. take another look. the plane descending quickly crashing on the surface. within moments, water filling the cabin as amazingly calm passengers make their way out. the small commuter plane was island hopping to honolulu with nine people on board. all made it out alive but the state's respected health director who died in the water. passengers credit the pilot for preventing more deaths. >> he did everything by the

numbers. got it in there as clean as he did. >> reporter: as the video shows the pilot brought the plane down right side up, that allowed everyone to escape. once outside they clung to the wing floating for an hour in the choppy pacific until the coast guard found them exhausted. >> i got in the water. i swam up to them and i said, hey, sir, coast guard rescue swimmer and he just looked over and smiled so it was a good feeling. i grabbed his arm and he grabbed me back. >> incredible video there. we'll hear more from the people on board later on "good morning america." a dramatic police chase in san diego dragging on for an hour before ending in a hail of bullets. [ sirens ] [ gunfire ] >> certainly a frightening scene. that driver is now in critical condition. police say they opened gunfire after he pointed a gun at them. it started when an officer trying to pull the man over for talking on his cell phone, that man took off racing through

residential streets at 60 miles an hour. he did stop briefly to let off a female passenger but then sped off again. police say the car was linked to a recent shooting. and dramatic new video showing heroic view of firefighters that you don't often see. a buffalo area firefighter strapped on the camera as he jumped out of his car to help battle a blaze. you can see him helping residents and then helping to put out the fire. four children, their mother and her sister managed to escape unharmed. and there's this stunning scene from a pharmacy in northern new jersey. a woman narrowly escaping serious injury. she's about to leave the store when that car plows right through the front entrance, luckily she saw it just in time and was able to absorb the impact. the car jumped the curb. it was being driven by a 71-year-old woman. everyone turned out to be okay in this. more hospitals across the country are taking steps to keep up with the spike in flu cases. the regional medical center in

san jose, california, set up flu tents to treat patients after the virus killed 15 people across california alone. there are intense flu outbreaks in 20 states. doctors say the tents will free up space in swamped emergency rooms. more good news for those including me who depend on a cup of joe to keep going. researchers found coffee does not cause dehydration. now, that applies if you're a moderate coffee drinker, which is roughly three cups a day. in sports the nfl playoffs resume tomorrow with the saints and seattle and the colts in new england. as for last night's highlights here's "sportscenter's" neil and stan. take it away, guys. >> good morning, america. welcome to our "sportscenter" set here in los angeles. this friendly man is neal evert. i'm stan verrett. many the heat might not want to see the knicks. >> they didn't want to see them on thursday. but i'm guessing over a best of seven series they wouldn't get

all uptight about them. lebron james and carmelo anthony smiling at each other there. they played even steven pretty much throughout their career. james, over anthony. anthony by james. see what we're doing there. fourth quarter, knicks in control, anthony. bobby jack. he had 29 points then amar'e stoudemire in -- whoa. i'm so wide open. knicks, 102-92. how is that? top ranked arizona taking on ucla. that would match the best start in school history. andrew gordon. gordon can do that. see that again, please. maybe not. second half, arizona blew a 13-point lead, nick johnson, arizona back up by one. ucla made a run, but they came up just short. >> that was huge right there. >> jordan adams, no, sir and

arizona holding on to win it, 79-75. johnson with 22 points for the wildcats. we said good morning when we started. we say good morning when we leave. >> back to you. >> good morning to you then. thank you. all right, big and athletic, grown men being scared out of their wits. that's what makes this our "play of the day." call this the houston rockets versus their own mascot. >> so that mascot is a bear that caused problems recently scaring players after practice. some players genuinely seemed to be caught by surprise. >> best reaction came from star center dwight howard who completely lost control of his phone, got to say great going by clutch. >> i love that kick. that kick was classic. >> great. >> all right, coming up next, "the pulse" where there is new meaning to high-end dining. wait till you see what one

colorado restaurant is serving up. speaking of food meal massacre. a woman shows off her record-breaking eating skills. [ male announcer ] this is jim. a man who doesn't stand still. but jim has afib, atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat not caused by a heart valve problem. that puts jim at a greater risk of stroke. for years, jim's medicine tied him to a monthly trip to the clinic to get his blood tested. but now, with once-a-day xarelto jim's on the move. jim's doctor recommended xarelto. like warfarin, xarelto is proven effective to reduce afib-related stroke risk. but xarelto is the first and only once-a-day prescription blood thinner for patients with afib not caused by a heart valve problem that doesn't require routine blood monitoring. so jim's not tied to that monitoring routine. [ gps ] proceed to the designated route. not today. [ male announcer ] for patients currently well managed on warfarin there is limited information on how xarelto and warfarin compare in reducing the risk of stroke. xarelto is just one pill a day taken with the evening meal.

plus, with no known dietary restrictions, jim can eat the healthy foods he likes. do not stop taking xarelto, rivaroxaban, without talking to the doctor who prescribes it as this may increase the risk of having a stroke. get help right away if you develop any symptoms like bleeding, unusual bruising, or tingling. you may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take xarelto with aspirin products, nsaids, or blood thinners. talk to your doctor before taking xarelto if you have abnormal bleeding. xarelto can cause bleeding, which can be serious and rarely may lead to death. you are likely to bruise more easily on xarelto and it may take longer for bleeding to stop. tell your doctors you are taking xarelto before any planned medical or dental procedures. before starting xarelto, tell your doctor about any conditions such as kidney, liver, or bleeding problems. xarelto is not for patients with artificial heart valves. jim changed his routine. ask your doctor about xarelto. once-a-day xarelto means no regular blood monitoring -- no known dietary restrictions.

for more information and savings options, call 1-888-xarelto or visit goxarelto.com. ♪ ♪ cheeseburger in paradise >> that is jimmy buffett's tune perfect for this friday "pulse" about one of our favorites. here's what i'm talking about, food. >> of course, and we start with a high-end restaurant trying to get inspiration to legalize pot. the chain has come up with a creative menu to celebrate recreational marijuana use. instead of fine wine it paired different kinds of top notch weed for your mail. >> you should know that smoking is actually not allowed in the

restaurant, and the menu was just for fun. >> i'm sure it was. >> must have been a lot of fun. >> sushi isn't your thing, how about pizza. florida piemans taking advantage of the sunshine state's abundant ingredients for his toppings. evans neighborhood pizza has virtually every creature that lives in the swamp. >> that would include frog's leg, alligator, swamp cabbage and here's the kicker, python, of course, those have invaded the nearby everglades in record numbers. >> okay, finally a truly gut-busting new world record. it was set at a steak house in portland, oregon. >> folks, that is a woman named molly schuyler using both hands to hold the 72-ounce steak. she was trying to beat the record of just over 6 minutes, 48 seconds for eating the entire steak. >> to say she destroyed it is an

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an intense ache all over. it was hard to do what mattered. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia... thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can significantly relieve fibromyalgia pain. for some, as early as the first week of treatment. now, i can do more with the ones i love. lyrica is not for everyone. it may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, changes in eyesight including blurry vision, muscle pain with fever, or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who have had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. with less fibromyalgia pain, i'm feeling better with lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today.

welcome back. checking our top story, a state of emergency in west virginia after a chemical spill went into the drinking supply that left 100,000 customers without water. thousands of new documents could be released as soon as today in the george washington bridge closure case. new jersey governor chris christie says he had nothing to do with the partial closure. dozens of mobile homes along florida's atlantic coast were damaged by severe storms last night. possible tornadoes rolled through the area. no one was reportedly hurt. looking at today's weather, the deep freeze is over but snow lingers in some northern cities. rain across the south and in the northwest. all right, well, finally a phrase that you probably have been hearing a lot this week has become a favorite for late night comics. that phrase, polar vortex.

>> they had a lot of fun with them and so here now are your friday funnies. >> it's freezing cold. in fact, it's below freezing cold because of something called a polar vortex, which sounds like a weapon mr. freeze would use to destroy gotham city >> that's our polar vortex. >> polar vortex. >> polar vortex. >> yeah, a polar vortex. >> we could have thundersnow. >> thundersnow? >> yes. we're being hit by a polar vortex and thundersnow. and, frankly, folk, i'm not sure if those are weather patterns or finishing moves from mortal kombat. >> polar vortex sounds more like a nicolas cage movie. got to get out of this vortex. with dollar bill and a polar bear on it. >> polar vortex. doesn't that sound like something you'd see on the cover of "cosmo." here's the latest sex moves that will drive him crazy. try the polar vortex.

w woo-hoo. the mayor's lips got stuck to his crack pipe. >> okay. okay. what is it? >> it's so cold you were wearing a scarf? sometimes the original horse joke doesn't translate in english, does it? >> any more weather talk? any more -- >> things are freezing on my body that i didn't even know were possible to freeze. >> oh. are you breaking up with me? because that is not the first time i've heard that line. >> all right. and that's what's making news in america this morning. >> stay with us for "good morning america." have a great friday, everyone. >> live from the abc 7 broadcast

center, this is good morning washington, on your side. >> a dangerous morning in west virginia as a chemical spill forces the governor to declare a state of emergency. .he warnings are all over we will tell you what police are going to start taking you for after a string of weather related crime. i am jummy olabanji. >> we are keeping an eye on the winter weather that is headed our way. there is freezing rain and schools are on a two-hour delay. but counties are running of -- modified bus route. that is detailed. it is on our website. we want