Illinois dust storm: Six killed after major highway pile-up
- Published
WATCH: Dust storm causes multiple car pile-up in Illinois
At least six people were killed and dozens injured after dust clouds caused a highway pile-up in the state of Illinois on Monday, authorities said.
Nearly 40 to 60 cars and two trucks were involved in the crash on Interstate Highway 55 near Springfield.
The crashes occurred in both directions. Two trucks caught fire and one of them may have exploded, a police spokesman said.
More than 30 injured people were taken to area hospitals.
The pile-up began shortly before 11:00 local time (16:00 GMT), police said. Springfield, the state capital, is in the central part of the state, about 100 miles (160 km) north of St Louis.
Emergency workers at the scene of Monday's pile-up
The National Weather Service warned that a combination of newly ploughed fields and wind gusts were hampering visibility in the area.
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Police said on Twitter that 17 miles of I-55 south of Springfield had been shut down and would remain closed until at least Tuesday. A family reunification centre has been set up near the highway.
I-55 is a major north-south route through the midwestern US, running from Chicago to just outside New Orleans.