That would explain the account of Lott's wife being turned into a pillar of salt.
My guess is she actually turned around and returned to the city and died with the rest of the inhabitants of the region.
The story has new meaning for me ever since my Mom, driving West on 66 near Washington, turned back to look upon the Wicked City.
She didn’t turn into a pillar of salt, she turned into a phone pole. But in any case she completely wrecked our 1969 Mercury Marquis convertible.