The crashes alongside I-55 led to the interstate closing in Sangamon and Montgomery counties after police say mud from newly ploughed fields took over the freeway.
The metropolis of Springfield, the state capital, is in Sangamon County.
Illinois State Police Major Ryan Starrick mentioned not less than six individuals have been killed and greater than 30 individuals have been hospitalised with accidents starting from minor to life-threatening.
Those injured within the wrecks ranged in age from two to 80 years previous, he mentioned.
Thirty sufferers have been taken to Hospital Sisters Health System hospitals, HSHS spokesperson Jennifer Snopko informed CNN Monday night.
Another 4 individuals have been taken to Springfield Memorial Hospital, hospital spokesperson Anne Davis mentioned.
Both spokespeople didn’t present data on the circumstances of these injured.
At least “40 to 60 passenger cars” crashed beginning round 10.55am native time, he mentioned, and one other 30 business automobiles additionally wrecked alongside a three-kilometre stretch of I-55.
Two semi-trucks additionally caught fireplace, Starrick added.
The wrecks occurred in each north and southbound lanes, however all of the deaths have been reported in northbound lanes, he mentioned.
The interstate in southern Sangamon and northern Montgomery counties would stay closed as officers examine and clear automobiles, he mentioned.
CNN has reached out to county coroner workplaces and state police for extra data.
“The cause of the crash is due to excessive winds blowing dirt from farm fields across the highway leading to zero visibility,” Illinois State Police mentioned in a news launch.
CNN meteorologist Chad Myers mentioned 74km/h winds picked up the mud and all of the sudden made it practically unattainable to see on the quick stretch of freeway.
“The deciding factor today was the tilled fields,” he mentioned.
“This was a localised event by localised conditions.”
Rescuers handled ‘a tough scene’
Photos from the wrecks present a thick yellow haze within the air hanging over the freeway.
The pictures present automobiles on fireplace and smoke mixing with the haze as first responders survey the injury.
Kevin Schott, the director of Montgomery County’s Emergency Management Agency, mentioned first responders had a tough time responding to the scene because of the thick mud, noting everybody’s “eyes are full of it”.
“This is a difficult scene, something that is very hard to train for, something that we really haven’t experienced locally,” he mentioned.
Schott mentioned by way of the thick haze, first responders have been met with a number of automobiles on fireplace and dozens of automobiles scattered throughout each side of the highway, making it arduous to get to “victims in a rapid manner”.
“We had to search every vehicle, whether they were involved in the accident or just pulled over, to check for injuries,” he mentioned.
Evan Anderson, 25, informed CNN affiliate WGN he was returning dwelling to St Louis from Chicago when he obtained caught within the mud and crashed his automobile.
He mentioned a semi-turned earlier than putting his automobile.
“You couldn’t even see,” Anderson mentioned.
“People try to slow down and other people didn’t, and I just got ploughed into.
“There was simply so many automobiles and semi vehicles with a lot momentum behind them.”
The National Weather Service in Lincoln, Illinois, issued a “blowing mud warning” at 1.25pm local time.
“Severely restricted visibilities are anticipated. Travel will probably be harmful and presumably life-threatening,” the warning stated.
Winds across the region have been gusting between 56km/h and 72km/h.
The warning went on to say that people with respiratory problems should plan to stay inside until the storm passes.
It noted to “be prepared for a sudden drop in visibility to close zero.”
Source: www.9news.com.au
