HARDIN, Mont. – At least six people were killed and others were injured in a major highway pileup in Montana, according to the New York Times.
The mass crash happened on Friday during a windstorm that kicked up dust, the NYT said, and authorities told them that it was caused by “near-blackout conditions.”
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Sergeant Jay Nelson, a spokesman for the Montana Highway Patrol, told the NYT that the crash involved 21 vehicles, including six semi-trucks, and at the time of the interview, it was not immediately clear how many people had been injured.
According to the article, the authorities did not immediately release the names or ages of the victims.
“Everything is indicating there was an isolated weather event that caused near-blackout conditions at this location,” Sergeant Nelson said in an interview according to the NYT. “A dust storm in the area with extremely high winds is the preliminary cause of the crash.”
The crash happened around 5 p.m. and caused traffic on Interstate 90 to shut down, the NYT said, and as of about 9 p.m., the eastbound lanes were still closed, and officials were directing traffic.
On Friday evening, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte posted his response to the tragic crash on Twitter.
I'm deeply saddened by the news of a mass casualty crash near Hardin. Please join me in prayer to lift up the victims and their loved ones. We're grateful to our first responders for their service.
— Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) July 16, 2022