Chain Reaction Crash in Downstate Illinois
Yesterday morning, just before 7 a.m., a semi truck reportedly hit a guardrail and dumped its payload at mile marker 27 on I-70 near Highland, Illinois. According to reports, this caused traffic to back up for two miles. A couple minutes later, another crash happened at milepost 29 which involved three tractor-trailers and a pickup truck, news sources report.
According to reports, one of the semi trucks involved in the second crash ignited on fire with two people inside, the driver and a passenger. According to police, both of the occupants died.
Two other individuals involved in the second accident reportedly sustained minor injuries. The driver of the initial overturned truck was reportedly taken to an area hospital with minor injuries.
According to a report from Illinois State Police District 11 in Collinsville, the two people killed were traveling in a 2000 Freightliner truck/trailer combination. State troopers were reportedly unaware whether either was wearing a seat belt.
The truck both victims were traveling in, according to reports, crashed into the back of another semi at the end of a line of vehicles stopped due to the previous crash. The impact of the crash reportedly started a chain reaction that damaged a pickup and a third tractor-trailer.
