'Brown Out' Blamed for 30-Vehicle Crash in Colorado

Four people died in crashes involving over 30 vehicles, including six semitrailers, on an interstate in Colorado Tuesday after blowing dirt made it nearly impossible to see, authorities said. Dirt kicked up by heavy winds blew across Interstate 25 just south of Pueblo around 10am causing a "brown out," Maj. Brian Lyons of the Colorado State Patrol said. "Visibility was next to nothing," he said. Lyons said 29 people were taken to the hospital with injuries ranging from minor to severe. There were crashes on either side of the interstate, he said. Four goats in a trailer were killed in one of the crashes on the northbound side, the Colorado Sun reports.

The cause of the crashes about two miles south of Pueblo is still being investigated. The lack of visibility will be considered as one of the factors, but others may also be involved, said Trooper Sherri Mendez, a patrol spokesperson. The eastern half of Colorado was being hit by strong winds Tuesday, which, combined with warm weather and very dry conditions, have raised the risk of wildfires and caused flight delays at Denver's airport, the AP reports. Meanwhile, it was snowing in the western part of the state, bringing much-needed snow to the mountains.