Interstate looked like a "war zone" after massive pileup, ISP continues crash investigation

(WAND) — Illinois State Police report they have discovered another victim in the charred remains of the I-55 crash scene, bringing the death toll to seven. What was previously believed to be the remains of one individual was actually two people.

Officers and emergency responders spent Tuesday processing the 72 vehicles involved, as they work to piece together what happened.

"There's very little wind breaks in that area, and the fields to the west of I-55 were depositing significant field dust across I-55, causing essentially zero visibility: complete blackout conditions," Brendan Kelly, Director for Illinois State Police, said in a press conference Tuesday.

Planting season and a rare dust storm made for a deadly combination on I-55.

"This was actually the first blowing dust warning that's been issued east of the Mississippi River," Ed Shimon, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the Nation Weather Service's Lincoln Office, told WAND News.

"The winds were just able focus in a certain direction at very strong wind speeds up to 54 miles per hour reported at Springfield Airport," Shimon added.

The blinding conditions quickly caused a pile up.

"I pull off to the left side here and got out started going to different cars cause there was cars all over the median off the side of the road everywhere," said Nathan Cormier.

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Cormier was able to get out of harms way, before helping others, as emergency responders arrived.

"All the responders were operating in zero visibility, for much of the incident, in a debris field that looked more like a war zone than it did a stretch of the interstate," Kevin Schott, Director of the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency, told WAND News.

Illinois State Police said 37 people were hurt and seven killed. Right now, ISP said two of the adults killed have not been identified.

"We believe the vehicle, where the individuals remains were found in, is a blue Chrysler 300. The registration information, that type of identifying information, has not yet been able to be ascertained because of the condition of the vehicle," Kelly explained.

The other victim was driving a Hyundai. Anyone with information is asked to call 618-346-3653.

"A terrible loss of life and we are all grieving for all the people who died here yesterday," Kelly added.

Drivers will be able to start picking up their vehicles, starting at 8:00am on May 3. Car owners are asked to bring their driver's license and insurance information to ISP's Command Vehicle Center at the intersection of Brown and Henrietta Drive in Diveron. Owners can call 217-685-4345.