a helicopter crash claims half of the popular country duo. next. ♪ ♪ "action news," delaware valley's leading news program with jim gardner. ♪ ♪ >> this is as real as it gets. nowhere in the florida keys will be safe. there is still time to evacuate. those words from the national weather service to people in the

path of hurricane irma tonight. the storm continue on a destructive path and is in fact gaining strength. jim is off. i'm monica malpass. the big story is the 5.6 million people told to evacuate florida now ahead of hurricane irma. governor rick scott said if you are not on the road by midnight, stay put and try to prepare. he said hurricane irma is a life threatening situation and everyone should evacuate but time has almost run out. tankers were escorted to gas stations to keep folks moving. >> you have to be prepared. if you are in an evacuation zone, get out now to a friend, family, hotel, shelter, but get

where you need to go. do not wait. >> supplies like bottled water and applywood are now hard to come by. many communities have shelters up and running to welcome residents. anchor brian taff is in fort lauderdale, florida. dann cuellar spoke with people at the philadelphia interrnational airport and street station. cecily tynan, you have the latest about hurricane irma. >> i did. irma now is making landfall over northern cuba. there are barrier islands there. typically, you think a storm this close to land would weaken, but winds have increased. it's a storm that has tremendous staying power 160 miles per hour. irma is now a category five hurricane moving west at

13 miles per hour. it hasn't made the northern turn yet looks like it will be doing so. national hurricane center has it as a strong cat four hurricane sunday 8:00 in the morning and moving toward fort miers. the track has shifted more to the west. the storm is more intense that the hurricane force winds, tremendous surge, heavy rain across the peninsula, moving inland near atlanta with flooding rain. we have hurricane warnings posted for southern florida, fort pierce to the south. melbourne under watch. it's a question of timing. it will take longer for the hurricane force winds to approach tampa, but they will. sunday, 11:00, wind gusts, key west 127 miles per hour. key lagge lar go, 104.

they'll be covered in water. sunday night, marco island 127 miles per hour wind gusts and reaching tampa and melbourne, 125 miles per hour monday morning. more on the track of the storm in the full forecast. monica? >> thank you, cecily. to brian taff in fort lauderdale. what's it like down there tonight? >> monica, there is a lot of unease, a sentiment shared by those at home with relatives in south florida. some of the concern is mitigated by the changing westward track taking the eye away from the miami area to the western side. the airport in fort lauderdale shut down tonight. that was affirmation of good

judgment from those that decided to leave today. >> it was like a convoy. i don't know if you have driven in a convoy of military, one after the other. >> steve was one in an endless stream of cars in a destination out of irma's path. >> about 400 homes are gone. >> from the moment we arrived, the enormity of the exodus was apparent. this in wake of the winding security line at the orlando international airport. flight after flight delayed amidair traffic that clogged the skies. here, traffic on the ground. these waiting for fuel. the rush to flee was not all self driven. mandatory evacuations under way

in florida's southern most cities. a highway patrol officer told us so far so good. >> everyone's been cooperative. we are trying to keep in orderly fashion to keep the main line open. right now, it's successful. there have been times it's come close. >> amid the flow out, one delaware county family was headed in determined to take their vacation at disney and hoping irma allows it. >> i'm hope and playing for the best. >> i hope everyone is safe and turns out already and no damage where we are at. that would be nice. >> well, at the least they'll have something to talk about years down the road. a bit of bad news for the powell family, disney will close their doors tomorrow and sunday. the brunt of the storm monday and beyond.

officials say that's the smartest move. businesses should close their doors. there is no reason for anyone that doesn't have to be here to be here at all. monica? >> thank you, brian. stay safe as well. >> the last flight from florida arrived about 90 minutes ago. flights are canceled and moving stranded passengers to shelts. wshelters.dan is live at philada interrnational airport. dan? >> monica, indicative of how things are going, the flight expected to land here from fort lauderdale has been canceled. those that made it feel grateful that they got here in time. >> it was chaotic.

everyone was trying to get out. everyone is feeling the push. >> everyone is worried. trying to escape the path of hurricane irma has been a massive exodus. >> i have been traveling to orlando for work for ten years. i have never seen it like this before. >> many had to cut their vacation short. >> i rebooked 8:00 in the morning but by afternoon we got a flight in the nick of time. >> you feel lucky? >> definitely. don't want to be stuck there. >> others were not as lucky. this couple arrived for a week's vacation and stra but scrambledt out of there. >> we took a train. >> they caught the last train from miami. >> took 30 hours to get here. >> you are kidding me? >> no. >> they booked a train to paoli,

anywhere just to get out of florida. >> we didn't know what to do. it was scary. >> meanwhile amongst some that got out there was a feeling of guilt that loved ones stayed behind. >> it's sad. because of my age, my son down there insisted i come home. >> rose ann cook's family urged her to come here for her sister's 60th birthday while they stayed. >> i'm torn. i'm happy to come here, but i'm worried about them there. all i can do is pray and leave them in god's hands. >> it's been quite a day for those trying to escape hurricane irma hoping and praying for the best. monica? >> thank you, dan. >> we are tracking irma on our "6abc" app. will we'll alert you to updates

as the storm progresses. we'll alert you on possible impact here. the "6abc" app is a free download for your mobile device. >> country singer troy gentry of montgomery gentry died in a crash in burlington county. it happened hours before he was supposed to perform. we spoke to fans about what happened. >> i started crying. it was so sad. >> a montgomery gentry fan was moved to tears near the spot she expected to see the duo perform. instead the stage was being dismantled. the helicopter crashed in a swampy field carrying two. >> the passenger was identified as troy gentry. >> gentry was rescued from the

wreckage and died at hospital. the pilot, a flight instructor was pronounced dead at the scene. the chopper took off from the same airport robinson reported the plane in distress and attempted to make an emergency landing. emergency crews arrived on the scene minutes before. >> it was trying to come into io the airport and as it made its approach, it dropped suddenly. >> gentry and montgomery formed the band in 1999. a statement read troy's family appreciates the thoughts and prayers and appreciate appreciay at this time. >> at a luke bryan concert, country fan fans were sad.

>> it's a big loss to the country music fans. >> the ntsb will handle the investigation. gentry leaves behind a wife and two daughters. jeff chirico, channel6 "action news." >> still to come, a terrible scene at a delaware day care. a man attempted to kidnap two children. cecily? >> currently philadelphia 63. dropping to the 50s. cool air is sticking around. we have the latest on hurricane irma in the seven-day forecast. >> and phillies news. a serious situation for a phillies fan favorite. all of that when "action news" comes right back. ♪ ♪

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now more businesses in more places can afford to dream gig. fios is not cable. we're a 100% fiber optic network. and with the new fios gigabit connection... you get our fastest... internet ever. with download speeds up to 940 megs - 20 times faster than most people have. switch to fios gigabit connection with tv and phone for $79.99 a month online for the first year. plus hbo for one year and multi-room dvr service for two years, all with a two-year agreement. and switching has never been easier. get out of your contract with up to a $500 credit to help cover your early termination fee. go to fiosgigabit.com >> a man who allegedly kidnap two infants from a newark day care center is under arrest and police say it's not the first time he illegally entered a building with children.

calvin davis forced his way into the happy kids academy at 7:00 this morning. he assaulted two employees before grabbing two babies. the employees stood their ground and grabbed the babies back. the owner says her employees are heros. >> they stood in front of him. they wouldn't let anyone take them out of here. i call them the heros of the day. they sacrificed themselves. >> absolutely. police arrested davis a short time later. he was also arrested earlier this week after entering albert elementary school. he made threatening comments there but left. let's talk about the threatening weather. >> i wanted to show you the latest on hurricane irma as we head to the action weather center. this is the first to hit cuba

since 1924. the aye is moving along barrier islands in northern cuba. it's actually intensified over the past few hour, maximum sustained winds 160 miles per hour. back to a cat five. pressure, low, 924-millibars, mog west at 13 miles per hour. starting to make a jog up to the northwest. maximum wind gusts 195 miles per hour. this is a very big storm. this will have very widespread impact up the coast of florida. part of the reason it hasn't weakened yet, the water temperature, north of cuba, close to 90-degrees, overwhelming the interaction with land. it will likely weaken to a cat four hurricane. a strong cat four is close to a cat five making landfall sunday morning along the florida keys.

they have issued mandatory evacuations and said there is nowhere safe in the keys. the storm search will cover the area. fort miers sunday evening and pushing north inland from the west coast. this shift has moved more to the west. again, this storm is the size of texas. it's having widespread impact across the peninsula. the storm search, a couple of days ago, near miami. it moved west, naples, marco island, 9 to 12 feet, the most deadly and destructive part of the storms. #u back at home right now, it's cool and dry. allentown, 56. philadelphia 63. the poconos 46-degrees.

wilmington, 58. high pressure behind a cold front. sprinkles late this afternoon. we are clearing out. high pressure is maintaining control through the weekend. lots of sunshine and fall like feeling in the air. 73 in philadelphia. 74 center city and high risk of rip currents thanks to irma. it will be nice to be on the beaches. be careful on the water. sunday, bright and beautiful with a high of 71. the exclusive accuweather seven-day forecast, we have a nice weekend. great weekend for the temple villanova game. a mix of sun and clouds, cool day, bumping up to 74. monday, a high of 76. tuesday, sun and clouds come in, rain arriving, rain on wednesday, thanks to what's left of irma. we are looking at light conditions, with a high of 74.

thursday, high of 76. friday nice with a high of 76-degrees. irma will begin to make the turn to the northwest. the big question, when will the shift continue to move west. chris sowers has more at 4:00 a.m. >> we'll take a break and be right back. ♪ ♪ ♪

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fios is not cable. we're a 100% fiber optic network. and with the new fios gigabit connection... you get our fastest... internet ever. with download speeds up to 940 megs - 20 times faster than most people have. switch to fios gigabit connection with tv and phone for $79.99 a month online for the first year. plus hbo for one year and multi-room dvr service for two years, all with a two-year agreement. and switching has never been easier. get out of your contract with up to a $500 credit to help cover your early termination fee. go to fiosgigabit.com "action news" sports is sponsored by phi owes. we are wired differently. get phi owes.com today. >> eagle fans can't wait for sunday and ducis can't either. >> a day and a half.

they are healthy, hungry, ready. eagle season opener sunday at washington. carson wentz eager to use his new weapons. alshoalshon jeffery brought in r his size. >> i can't wait to get started. the eagles, we'll be out there. can't wait. >> he will wait for his receptions. >> former eagle john is facing surgery. his former teammates are thinking about him. >> i heard he will be okay. i wish him the best. it's a weird situation. >> we play a gladiator sport for so long.

we are here with him. >> phillys no score in the first inning. nick williams 24th birthday gets a three run homer. 3-2 phil in the third. herrera misplays the ball, goes to the wall. 6-3 nashville. to the seventh, 10-6 washington lead. rhys hoskins, his 13th, phils pull within three. franco on telly, phils back within one again bringing in sean doolittle, strikes out three straight batters to end the game. phillies lose 11-10. temple football play book comes your way during the 9:30 a.m. hour of "action news."

they'll hook up tomorrow at the link. >> thank you, ducis. we'll be right back. ♪ ♪ fios is not cable. we're a 100% fiber optic network. and with the new fios gigabit connection... you get our fastest... internet ever. with download speeds up to 940 megs - 20 times faster than most people have. switch to fios gigabit connection with tv and phone for $79.99 a month online for the first year. plus hbo for one year and multi-room dvr service for two years, all with a two-year agreement. and switching has never been easier. get out of your contract with up to a $500 credit to help cover your early termination fee. go to fiosgigabit.com

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>> high school huddle is next followed by "jimmy kimmel live" and "nightline." "action news" continues tomorrow with chris sowers. for the entire "action news" team, i'm monica malpass. have a good night and a good weekend.

♪ ♪ oo >> camden may have won but they are back east. facing one of the best in the state, camden catholic in our game of the week. "6abc" high school huddle, i'm jeff skversky. opening week in south jersey has a playoff feel to it with rivals going head to head. in bucks county, a handful of teams ready to play. >> you are watching high school huddle on "6abc." "6abc" high school huddle presented by