Deadly Dust Storm Causes Multiple Fatalities in Illinois Highway Crashes

A massive pileup involving 72 vehicles occurred during a dust storm south of Springfield, Illinois, resulting in the death of six people, including Shirley Harper, an 88-year-old woman from Wisconsin. Thirty-seven people were injured, with some in critical condition. The Illinois State Patrol has closed a 27-mile stretch of I-55 and is investigating the cause of the accident, which is believed to be excessive winds blowing dirt from farm fields across the highway, leading to zero visibility.