At least 6 dead after crashes due to storm

Illinois State Police Maj. Ryan Starrick 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

First responders work the scene of a crash involving at least 20 vehicles that shut down a highway in Illinois on Monday. Pic/AP

A windstorm in central Illinois kicked up dangerous clouds of blinding dust off farm fields Monday, 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 Maj. Ryan Starrick 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 only thing you could hear after we got hit was crash after crash after crash behind us,” said Tom Thomas, 43, who was traveling south to St. Louis.

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.

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