Up to 60 passenger cars and nearly 30 commercial vehicles collided on a rural highway, killing at least six passengers.
Gusts in the midwestern United States have created a deadly dust storm, reducing visibility to zero and causing a major buildup of vehicles that killed at least six people on an Illinois highway.
More than 30 additional motorists, ages 2 to 80, were injured in the accident resulting from Monday’s storm, according to Illinois State Police. Their injuries ranged from minor to life-threatening.
State police reported that up to 60 passenger cars and nearly 30 commercial vehicles collided as strong winds swept across flat farmland near the town of Farmersville, nearly 39 kilometers (24 mi) south of the state capital of Springfield.
Two of the semi trucks caught fire, adding to the haze that clouded the I-55 freeway, halting traffic in both northbound and southbound directions. All accidents occurred within a 3.2-kilometre (two-mile) section of road, from milepost 76 to milepost 78.
A driver, 25-year-old Evan Anderson, told the Associated Press he was heading from Chicago to St. Louis, Missouri, when the dust storm hit. A semi truck eventually hit his car.
“You couldn’t even see it,” Anderson said. “People try to slow down and other people don’t, and I just got plowed in. There were so many cars and trucks with so much speed behind them.”
Interstate 55 in southern Sangamon counties and northern Montgomery remains closed in both directions due to numerous accidents caused by a dust storm, which has greatly reduced visibility. (photo via @wics_abc20) pic.twitter.com/rYbWKndJa6
— IDOT_Illinois (@IDOT_Illinois) May 1, 2023
Politicians from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski issued statements expressing their heartache at the “devastating messages” coming out of the highway.
“Our hearts are heavy as we grapple with the devastating news of a massive pile-up on I-55 outside of Springfield with reports of casualties and multiple injuries,” Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton wrote in a statement. “Our entire state will mourn the sudden loss of life and pray for the recovery of those injured in this tragedy.”
Kevin Schott, director of emergency management for Montgomery County, told reporters at a news conference Monday afternoon that the biggest challenge was getting “to the casualties quickly” as the storm continued to blow at speeds of up to 74 mph. (45 mph).
“We had vehicles and fires to put out. We had to search every vehicle, whether they were involved in the accident or just pulled over, to check for injuries,” Schott said.
Massive pile-up on I-55 south of Springfield, Illinois, closed the highway for nearly 30 miles. Blowing dust from freshly plowed fields led to very poor visibility#ilwx
🎥: Nathan Cormier pic.twitter.com/im7QLE8BTp— Nick Hausen (@NickHausenWx) May 1, 2023
“This particular situation would be similar to a whiteout condition,” State Police Major Ryan Starrick told the press afterwards, referring to snowfall so heavy that everything appears white. “The poor visibility, the high winds, it all unfortunately came together in this particular stretch of I-55.”
While no-visibility dust storms are rare but not unheard of in the region, Starrick said he had never seen anything this serious in his 24-year career with the police force.
The U.S. National Weather Service agency in Lincoln, Illinois, warned of continued “strong westerly to northwesterly winds” through Tuesday, leading to uncertain driving conditions. “Take extra care while driving, secure loose objects and avoid burning if possible,” it warned on Twitter.