A deadly backlog with dozens of cars and trucks from a windstorm

Six people were confirmed dead in a pile of dozens of vehicles noted for its length Interstate 55 in the south Illinois State police said, amid a windstorm
More than 30 people, ages 2 to 80, have been treated for injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening, Illinois State Police Chief Ryan Starek said at a news conference this afternoon.

“The cause of the accident was the stormy winds that blew in the area and blew dust from the farms across the highway, which led to a lack of visibility,” Starik said.

An Illinois State Police spokesperson said about 40 to 60 passenger cars and several trucks were involved in the crash, which occurred shortly after 11 a.m. (local time). on 30 people were injured and taken to local hospitalsHe added that two trucks caught fire. Watch the shocking video posted on Twitter

A massive backlog accumulated on I-55 south of Springfield, Illinois shutting down the freeway for nearly 30 miles. Blowing dust off freshly plowed fields led to poor visibility# films
🎥: Nathan Cormier pic.twitter.com/im7QLE8BTp

– Nick Hausen (@NickHausenWx) May 1, 2023

The highway remained closed in both directions hours after the accident.

🚨#broke down: The dust storm leads to a catastrophic accumulation of more than 100 vehicles with many serious to critical injuries

📌#farmersville | # Illinois

Currently, multiple emergency personnel have responded to the large vehicle backlog occurring in the southern area of ​​Springfield,… pic.twitter.com/nnQeXxOtVg

– RAWSALERTS (@rawsalerts) May 1, 2023

NEW VIDEO: Dust is blamed for this large buildup on I-55 south of Springfield, IL today.

Reports show that the backup is now over 20 miles long. We’ll have more details on this story as it develops. # Oh, Lord pic.twitter.com/3BDUqHHbhr

– WeatherNation (WeatherNation) May 1, 2023