NATIONAL NEWS

Dust storm in Illinois leaves at least 6 dead after more than 70 vehicles crash

May 2, 2023, 6:35 AM

(CNN) — At least six people were killed Monday when a dust storm caused more than 70 vehicles to crash along a major highway in central Illinois, officials said.

The crashes along Interstate 55 happened shortly before 11 a.m. CT in Montgomery and Sangamon counties south of the state capital after dust from newly plowed fields took over the highway, police said. The state capital, Springfield, is in Sangamon County.

Six people were killed and 37 people were hospitalized with injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening, Illinois State Police said. Those injured in the wrecks ranged in age from 2 to 80 years old, Illinois State Police Maj. Ryan Starrick said.

One of those killed in the wrecks was Shirley Harper, 88, of Franklin, Wisconsin, police said Monday evening. Officials still were working to identify the five others who were killed and notify their families, police said.

Seventy-two vehicles were involved in the crashes, which happened along a 2-mile stretch of I-55, police said. Two semi-trucks also caught fire, Starrick said.

The wrecks happened in both north and southbound lanes, but all the deaths were reported in northbound lanes, he said.

The interstate in southern Sangamon and northern Montgomery counties would remain closed as officials investigate and clear vehicles, he said. It remained closed late Monday.

CNN has reached out to county coroner offices and state police for more information.

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

CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said 45 mph winds picked up the dust and suddenly made it nearly impossible to see on the short stretch of highway.

“The deciding factor today was the tilled fields,” he said. “This was a localized event by localized conditions.”

Rescuers dealt with ‘a difficult scene’

Photos from the wrecks show a thick yellow haze in the air hanging over the highway. The images show vehicles on fire and smoke mixing with the haze as first responders survey the damage.

Kevin Schott, the director of Montgomery County’s Emergency Management Agency, said first responders had a difficult time responding to the scene due to the thick dust, noting everyone’s “eyes are full of it.”

“This is a difficult scene, something that is very hard to train for, something that we really haven’t experienced locally,” he said.

Schott said through the thick haze, first responders were met with multiple vehicles on fire and dozens of vehicles scattered across both sides of the road, making it hard to get to “victims in a rapid manner.”

“We had to search every vehicle, whether they were involved in the accident or just pulled over, to check for injuries,” he said.

The National Weather Service in Lincoln, Illinois, issued a “blowing dust warning” at 1:25 p.m. CT.

“Severely limited visibilities are expected. Travel will be dangerous and possibly life-threatening,” the warning stated. Winds across the region have been gusting between 35 and 45 mph.

The warning went on to say that people with respiratory problems should plan to stay inside until the storm passes. It noted to “be ready for a sudden drop in visibility to near zero.”


The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

KSL 5 TV Live

National News

FILE - Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event Monday, March 13, 2023, in Davenpor...

CNN Staff

Trump to appear at CNN town hall in New Hampshire

Former President Donald Trump will participate in a CNN presidential town hall next week in New Hampshire, the network announced Monday.

12 months ago

FILE - President Joe Biden walks along a stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso Texas, Jan. 8...

Colleen Long, Aamer Madhani and Tara Copp

Biden sending 1,500 troops for Mexico border migrant surge

The Biden administration will send 1,500 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border amid an expected migrant surge following the end of coronavirus pandemic-era restrictions.

12 months ago

Serena Williams attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating...

Associated Press

Serena Williams, Karlie Kloss reveal pregnancies at Met Gala

Move over Instagram (or Snapchat) — the Met Gala was the place to announce pregnancies, at least if you’re Serena Williams or Karlie Kloss.

12 months ago

emergency lights generic...

Associated Press

7 bodies found during search for missing Oklahoma teens

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says the bodies of seven people have been discovered during the search for two missing teenagers.

12 months ago

Larry Woodcock speaks to a crowd of media cameras and microphones...

Larry D. Curtis and Lauren Steinbrecher

Victim’s grandfather says evidence ‘unequivocal’ in Lori Vallow Daybell trial

As Lori Vallow Daybell entered the fifth week of her trial facing charges of first-degree murder, a victim's grandfather, Larry Woodcock, said the documentation in the case is "unequivocal."

12 months ago

FILE: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 (left) and Moderna COVID-19 (right) vaccines are seen at a vaccinati...

Zeke Miller, AP White House Correspondent

US to lift most federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates next week

The Biden administration will end the last remaining federal COVID-19 vaccine requirements next week when the national public health emergency for the coronavirus ends.

12 months ago

Sponsored Articles

Stack of old laptops with dark background...

PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.

Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...

BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.

Close up of an offset printing machine during production...

Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.

vintage photo of lighting showroom featuring chandeliers, lamps, wall lights and mirrors...

Lighting Design

History of Lighting Design | Over 25 Years of Providing Utah With the Latest Trends and Styles

Read about the history of Lighting Design, a family-owned and operated business that paved the way for the lighting industry in Utah.

Fiber Optical cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports...

Brian Huston, CE and Anthony Perkins, BICSI

Why Every Business Needs a Structured Cabling System

A structured cabling system benefits businesses by giving you faster processing speeds and making your network more efficient and reliable.

notebook with password notes highlighted...

PC Laptops

How to Create Strong Passwords You Can Actually Remember

Learn how you can create strong passwords that are actually easy to remember! In a short time you can create new ones in seconds.

Dust storm in Illinois leaves at least 6 dead after more than 70 vehicles crash