Fiery I-55 Crash Kills at Least 1, Leaves 1 Seriously Hurt

At least one person is dead and another seriously injured after a fiery five-vehicle crash on Interstate 55 on Thursday afternoon.

The crash closed the roadway between Route 129 and Lorenzo Road near Wilmington on the northbound side of the expressway as fire crews tried to put out an inferno that engulfed at least two semi-trailers.

The driver of one of those semi trucks was killed in the crash, Illinois State Police said. The driver of a pick-up truck involved in the accident also suffered serious injuries, and was taken to an area hospital.

According to authorities, the driver of one of the semi-trucks did not slow down while approaching a construction zone and struck a pick-up truck that had already stopped. The collision caused a chain reaction, with another semi striking the disabled vehicles and two other passenger vehicles becoming involved as well.

The condition of the driver of a second semi truck, as well as the drivers of two other passenger vehicles involved in the crash, is unknown at this time.

Illinois State Police are diverting northbound traffic off of the roadway and onto Illinois Route 129 in Wilmington.