Three people were killed when a small plane crashed along Interstate 55 in central Illinois Tuesday, sending plumes of smoke into the sky and shutting down part of the roadway.
According to Illinois State Police, the airplane crashed around 8:49 a.m. on I-55 at milepost 126 in Lincoln.
“The plane became fully engulfed upon impact in the middle of the interstate,” police said in a release.
Three people on the plane were killed in the crash, a police spokesperson confirmed. Their identities were not immediately released, pending next-of-kin notification.
Southbound traffic was diverted through the area, but the highway has since re-opened, according to authorities.
Check back for more on this developing story.