Key Points
A windstorm in central Illinois kicked up dangerous clouds of blinding dust off farm fields on Monday (local time), 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 Major Ryan Starrick said...
He said at least six people died, all in the northbound lanes, and more than 30 people on both sides of I-55 were transported to hospitals with injuries...
The cause of the crashes is due to excessive winds blowing dirt from farm fields across the highway, leading to zero visibility, Starrick said.. Dairon Socarras Quintero (32), who was driving to St. Louis to make deliveries for his custom frame company based in Elk Grove Village, said that after his truck hit the vehicle in front of him, he exited and moved to the side of the road to ensure his safety, then returned after the chain reaction of crashes ended behind him...
We had to search every vehicle, whether they were involved in the accident or just pulled over, to check for injuries, he said, adding that people were upset visibly so, understandably so, Schott said.. Authorities set up staging areas away from the crash site to help travelers reunite with friends and family..
