Chicago: At least six people were killed and over 30 injured in a road accident triggered by a dust storm in the US state of Illinois. Police gave this information. State police troopers received reports of multiple accidents on both sides of I-55 in Montgomery County, south of the state capital Springfield, around 11 a.m. Monday, a news agency quoted police as saying. The accidents involved approximately 20 commercial motor vehicles and 40 to 60 passenger cars, including two tractor-trailers that caught fire.
Police said nothing was visible due to excessive dust blowing from the fields along the highway. This led to accidents. The I-55 highway is currently closed in both directions and officials are investigating the matter and removing vehicles from the road. Major Ryan Starrick of the Illinois State Police said the injured ranged in age from two to 80. A spokeswoman told CNN Monday evening that 30 patients were taken to Hospital Sisters Health System hospitals.
The other four people were taken to Springfield Memorial Hospital. Kevin Schott, director of Montgomery County’s Emergency Management Agency, said the first responders were hit hard by the thick dust. He said that everyone’s eyes are filled with tears. That said, it is a difficult scene, something that is very difficult to train for, something that we do not have experience with locally.
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