Smoke from a controlled burn along Interstate 15 in northern Montana blurred the vision of drivers, resulting in a chain reaction crash that killed two people and injured four others.
The crash took place at about 1:15 p.m. Monday near Conrad when the driver of a semitrailer slowed down to 25 mph (40 kph) when smoke blurred his vision, according to the Montana Highway Patrol. The truck was rear-ended by a semitrailer, which in turn was rear-ended by a vehicle carrying the victims.
A small sport utility vehicle struck the back of the victims’ car.
The crash led killing of a 20-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl from Columbia Falls. Their identities are yet to be revealed.
A 51-year-old man from Canada who was driving the second truck was injured together with three residents from Colorado in the SUV.