18-vehicle accident caused by smoke from vegetation fire

In southern Missouri on Monday a farmer was burning some trash when the fire escaped and burned a field. Smoke from the wildfire compromised visibility on the nearby US Highway 60 eight miles east of Dexter. Chain reaction accidents occurred involving 18 vehicles, resulting in about 26 being injured. (Correction: an early report about the accident said one person was killed, but apparently that was incorrect.)

More information.

Here is a list of the vehicles and the people that were injured.

Thanks Bruce

Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire. View all posts by Bill Gabbert

3 thoughts on “18-vehicle accident caused by smoke from vegetation fire”

I recall the last time I drove through MO seeking a lot of “Do not Drive Into Smoke” signs and being puzzled at that. Guess this is why those signs exist, although I might have thought it would be self evident. I’m glad there wasn’t any loss of life.

It does not appear that there were any fatalities in this accident. There were people entrapped who had to be cut out/extricated from their vehicles and four were medivaced from the scene. For those not familiar with the Bootheel, the only hills once east of Dexter are the highway and railroad overpasses.