At least six dead and dozens injured as Illinois dust storm causes ‘80-vehicle’ pile-up

Approximately 40 to 60 passenger cars and 20 commercial vehicles were involved in crash

A massive dust storm caused several vehicle pileups on Interstate 55 south of Springfield, Illinois leaving at least six people dead and dozens of others injured, according to police.

The multiple crashes occurred on Monday morning (1 May) at mile marker 76 on I-55 in both the northbound and southbound direction, Illinois State Police said in a press conference posted to Facebook.

Preliminary information revealed that approximately 20 commercial motor vehicles and 40 to 60 passenger cars were involved in the crash, a press release from the Illinois State Police posted to Facebook said.

Two tractor-semi-trailer trucks caught fire as a result of the crash.

So far, police say more than 30 people were transported to the hospital. The injuries range from minor to life-threatening, and those hurt are between the ages of two and 80, reported WLS.

Divernon City Hall is being used as a reunification centre for the families of the people involved in the fatal crash.

“The cause of the crash is due to excessive winds blowing dirt from farm fields across the highway leading to zero visibility,” the Illinois State Police said.

I-55 is shut down from mile marker 52 until 80 in both directions as they respond to the massive wreck.

They urged motorists to take an alternative route as traffic was being diverted onto the frontage road.

The Illinois Department of Transportation tweeted a photo of the crash giving a glimpse into the destruction the zero visibility dust storm caused.

Another Twitter user showed a video of emergency responders arriving at the scene.

A dust storm occurs when strong winds blow loose sand and dirt from dry surfaces in a process called saltation.

As more particles are picked up and hit the ground they begin picking up other particles moving a large amount of dust and debris from one area to another.

The wind speeds in the area were estimated to be around 35 to 45 mph on Monday, according to Weather.com.

Illinois Representative Nikki Budzinski tweeted that she was following the devastating crash and urged others to be safe while driving.

She later added, “I‘m heartbroken by the devastating reports of fatalities in the crash on I-55 today. My thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of these individuals and everyone who has been hospitalized with injuries.”