6 dead after dust storm causes 21 car pileup in Montana

Six people have died after a dust storm fueled by wind gusts topping 60 mph caused a pileup Friday evening on Interstate 90 in Montana.

Twenty-one vehicles crashed and Montana Highway Patrol Sgt.

[{"selector":"#anim-85614744-6999-4f52-b7f6-b72ab1bad9d9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(49.335374189919335%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}]

Jay Nelson said authorities believe the weather was the cause.

[{"selector":"#anim-e5217ea1-9cc6-4af0-90c8-00c10885e080 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}]

“It appears as though there was heavy winds, causing a dust storm with zero visibility,” he said.

[{"selector":"#anim-6561702c-7d82-4df5-9822-5190fa460d1d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(22.24459132542075%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}]

While the highway patrol did not have an immediate count of the number of injuries,

[{"selector":"#anim-dd4141c9-a68d-4c4d-a763-2ffb955e8c92 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-1.3357201630063322%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Gov. Greg Gianforte said on Twitter: “I’m deeply saddened by the news of a mass casualty crash near Hardin.

[{"selector":"#anim-0e90117d-d5fd-4f3b-8690-07eb9897ad94 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(10.04929808326616%, 0, 0) translate(23.584905660377366%, 23.584905660377366%) scale(1.4716981132075473)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}]

The incident happened 3 miles (5 kilometers) west of Hardin.

[{"selector":"#anim-1a163d55-e57e-4899-bc37-b1709cdacefa [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(24.19369205822691%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}]

The dust storm’s roots can be traced back several hours,

[{"selector":"#anim-0901aafa-e85d-4ebb-b6bd-47b97f497bf1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(25.575137016767872%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}]