Dust Storm Causes Deadly 26-Car Wreck in Nevada

[dixiegrrrrl]

Associated Press
Published: June 11, 2013

WINNEMUCCA, Nev. -- Twenty-six vehicles slammed into each other during a sandstorm in rural Northern Nevada, killing one person, seriously injuring several others and sapping already-thin emergency resources Monday evening, officials said.

Humboldt County sheriff's dispatchers called in virtually every medical, law enforcement and fire worker in the sparsely populated area after drivers reported "near-apocalyptic" conditions on Interstate 80 three miles west of Winnemucca, according to officials at the Humboldt General Hospital.

Fourteen people were taken to the Humboldt General Hospital in Winnemucca, according to hospital officials, including three in critical condition, one in serious and 10 in fair condition. Officials have not yet released the identity of the person who was killed.

High winds about 5 p.m. Monday whipped up dust - possibly loose from recently cleared fields - and created white-out conditions, authorities said. Vehicles, including semitrailers, passenger cars and a tow truck piled up in both directions and shut down the highway, which is a major trucking corridor.

Photos at link
http://www.wunderground.com/news/dust-storm-causes-deadly-26-car-wreck-nevada-20130611

[WovenGems]

1. Awe struck

Now I know why folks who have visited Ann Arbor from the southwest just stare. Here we live under the canopy. If you see a blank spot, plant a tree. Wild fires and dust storms just don't happen in green zones. I have been all over and I came back to the trees.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Wild fires DO happen in green zones

they are called "forest fires" where I come from ( Washington state).

But I get your drift.
There was a large dust storm in Los Angeles area the other day, really made a mess of traffic.
Conditions are getting similar to the 30's, on many levels.

[pinboy3niner]

3. And these chain accidents are common in many heartland states that have "prairie fires"

I'm in SoCal, where we're going to have a LOT of fires this year. Even in the high desert, where we've already had the Powerhouse Fire 10 miles away from me.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Insurance rates must be thru the roof there

(no pun intended)

I was reading news yesterday, folks were ordered to evacuate a fire area in Colorado, some people refused, and later in the day
were calling for help to get out of the area.
those damn fires move FAST!

Be safe, hope your area comes thru the summer unscathed.

[WovenGems]

6. Tree type matters

Pines are full of flammable resin. Oak isn't nor is Maple or Ash and those are the most frequent types here. We actually burn the forest floors to prevent fires that could damage the trunks.

And my mom took me to an empty parking lot on a snowy February day to teach me to drive. Adversity training at its best.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. I see your point....

Plus, you get great fall color, I would imagine.

[catnhatnh]

4. "causes"

I have a problem with the headline. Up here in New Hampshire we get the same nonsense "Blizzard causes multiple accidents across the area". While in Florida "Wildfire causes massive crash on I-4". Etc, Etc.

Poor driving causes accidents and it is up to the drivers to be aware of local driving conditions and hazards. Not that the weather didn't contribute but all the weather CAN cause is poor driving conditions-it takes a driver to "cause" an accident...