WASHINGTON: At least six people lost their lives, and more than 30 others were injured on Monday in a massive car crash that involved nearly 100 vehicles on a US highway in Illinois.
The car crash occurred as a result of a severe dust storm that caused visibility to plummet along the highway. The Illinois State Police stated in a statement that 40 to 60 passenger vehicles and 30 commercial vehicles crashed due to excessive winds blowing dirt from farm fields across the highway.
The incident took place on Interstate 55, a major thoroughfare connecting cities like St. Louis and Chicago. The crash spanned a two-mile stretch of the highway, with two semi-trucks catching fire as a result. The victims of the crash ranged in age from two to 80 years old.
Images from the scene showed firefighters battling flames and smoke in the dusty, hazy aftermath of the crash, with some struggling in near-zero visibility conditions. Many vehicles had careened off the highway and were left scattered across the surrounding fields.
Massive crashes in Illinois due to weather events
This is not the first time a severe weather event has caused such a massive crash in the US. In 2021, eight people died, and 22 vehicles were involved in a similar accident in Utah when a sandstorm caused a series of road crashes.
The authorities are still investigating the incident, and the affected stretch of the highway has been closed. The Illinois Department of Transportation has asked motorists to avoid the affected area and find alternative routes until further notice.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of severe weather conditions on the nation’s highways and the importance of taking caution when driving in such circumstances.
