(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A two-mile stretch of I-55 south of Springfield has finally reopened following following Monday's dust storm crashes that resulted in several deaths and dozens hurt.
Six people were killed and at least 30 people were hospitalized in the series of crashes along Interstate 55 Monday afternoon, according to Illinois State Police District 20 Commander Ryan Starrick.
Police said it happened just before 11 a.m. near Farmerville, Ill., in Montgomery County, about 24 miles south of Springfield.
A dust storm led to poor visibility on the roads, and police said crashes happened almost simultaneously on the northbound and southbound lanes of I-55, officials said.
Starrick said as many as 80 vehicles may have been involved in the pileup.
“Initial reports are that we had two truck-tractor semitrailers have caught fire as a result of the crash,” Starrick said. “We have some initial reports that there could have been an explosion. We can’t confirm that at this time, but we do know that two commercial motor vehicles did catch fire.”
Starrick said that at least 30 people were hospitalized in the crashes, with injuries ranging from minor to life threatening. At least one person was transported via helicopter.
The ages of the injured ranged from 2 years old to 80 years old.
Farm-related work in the area may have created the waves of blowing dust, WBBM Newsradio’s Dave Dahl reported.
The interstate was closed in both directions from Divernon -- about 10 miles south of Springfield -- to Litchfield, which is about forty miles south of Springfield.
For hours, traffic was diverted and motorists were urged to stay away from the area.
Leyla Arsan was driving Northbound on I-55 before she and her boyfriend came to stop at around 11:30 a.m.
“I looked up and I go, ‘Is that smoke?’ And Dave was like, ‘No, I think it’s just more dust.’ And I was like, ‘I don’t know, it looks like smoke.’ And the next thing I know, everything just comes to a complete standstill.”
They ended up sitting at mile marker 72, outside of Farmersville for almost three hours. In that time, she says they saw ambulances and fire trucks from at least five towns responding -- some from as much as an hour away. They could not see the accident itself.
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