At least six people killed in Illinois traffic pileup due to dust storm, police say

A windstorm in southern Illinois kicked up dangerous clouds of blinding dust off farm fields Monday, causing numerous crashes that killed at least six people on Interstate 55, police said.

The late morning crashes involved 40 to 60 cars and multiple tractor-trailers, two of which caught fire, Illinois State Police Maj. Ryan Starrick said.

At least six people died, he said.

I-55 was shut down in both directions in Montgomery County, 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of St. Louis, and likely won't reopen until Tuesday.

Starrick told reporters that it was a spring version of a “whiteout situation” typically seen in winter snowstorms. Gov. J.B. Pritzker described the scene as “horrific.”

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

Winds at the time were gusting between 35 mph (56 kph) and 45 mph (74 kph), the National Weather Service said.

[scudfarcus]

I just quit my over the road truck driving job after ten years and 1.4 million miles because the weather is getting so crazy; especially the wind. People who don't travel a lot don't seem to have any idea how bad the wind has gotten. It's way stronger than just a few years ago and it seems to be like that almost everywhere and almost every day. I anticipated that dust storms like this would start happening more often and in more places, along with blizzards. When you mix that with all the foreign truck drivers on the road now who seem to blast along at 75 or 80 while talking on the phone, riding the center line without a care in the world except their own schedules, then you have a perfect recipe for something like this. It's not worth it anymore for drivers like me who want to drive and act like professionals, because professionalism from some of us is not enough to offset such a significantly large percentage of completely nonprofessional drivers. So, I quit.

[steveburlo]

I was in that mess yesterday. And you couldn't see. Prayers and thoughts who lost love ones, and a speedy recovery for those injured.

[outlander]

Multiple injuries and fatalities, absolutely insane! Condolences to those poor people and their families.

[ashunlocked]

If y’all ever been in a dust storm you know they happen very very quickly. Also Illinois doesn’t get them so they may not have even known to even take those two seconds to do something about it. I’m sure it was a shock to people driving 50-70 mph.

[markkravig]

Too bad modern drivers don’t have the common sense to pull over IMMEDIATELY if the visibility gets bad.

[TeeNan-rwnv]

A dust storm in Illinois?!😳What in the world?! Condolences to the families affected by this freak incident

[Appalachia_Ape]

How was there a dust storm in Illinois and why tf we're those people trying to drive through it?

[rc]

Maan nobody had the common sense to just pull off the road

[ashtray]

People who have never been in a dust storm victim shaming people. This is America.

[DillonD]

It’s time we ban assault cars. No one needs assault cars. They didn’t have cars when they wrote the constitution. Just buy a horse. Listen, I’m a transportation guy too. I drive 50 miles to work and 50 miles back home everyday. I get. But it’s time we think about the children.

[cf-kwqo]

Not plowed, plowing is done in fall …. But the fields have been worked and planted . We have done no till for 40 years . No dust flying off of our fields .

[godsplannn]

That’s unfortunate. Rest in peace to all that passed.

[FelipeValdez-ogtg]

I’m a trucker over the road and the weather conditions make things extremely dangerous… I’m from California so i’m not used to the extreme weather !

[TimNewton]

Folks are going to try to sue the farmers

[windingtrailsfarm]

Do you remember to dust bowl? Perhaps we should learn from history:/

[MrLiveman]

Wow. I was just near this accident a couple of weeks ago.
😮
Thank you Jesus for traveling mercies.
🙏🏿
Prayer for the victim’s families.

[TerryPaulson]

800 people shot and seriously injured from gang violence last year alone, guns are to blame like the weather.

[keepthechange]

When lousy drivers panic and come to a complete stop on the interstate. I've seen it happen in a rain storm. I knew it was gonna happen so I drove the shoulder past em.

[jimmayors]

It amazes me how wreckless many drivers are these days on the highway when the weather is bad. Still driving way too fast for the conditions with their emergency flashers on thinking that will save them! Unfortunately, they cause accidents that hurt not only themselves, but others! Slow down already and back off the guy in front of you!

[KylewithanL]

We drove through that area the day before this happened…so sad