100+ Vehicle Pileup on Icy Illinois Interstate Under Whiteout Conditions

More than 100 cars and semis crashed on a slippery stretch of interstate in central Illinois Thursday, according to state police. The crashes stretched several hundred yards along Interstate 39, local news outlets reported.

There were no immediate reports of injuries. The interstate was shut down and was expected to remain so for around 12 hours, Illinois State Police said in a tweet at about 8:15 p.m. EST.

Police said they were at the scene of the crash shortly before 5 p.m. EST. Southbound lanes were shut down at mile marker 14 in El Paso, about 30 miles east of Peoria.

"We highly encourage you to avoid any travel at this time due to hazardous road conditions," a tweet from the police said.

Also in Illinois, Interstate 74 eastbound near Champaign was blocked after a crash involving several semitrailers, police said. ‘Numerous crashes and whiteout conditions are making travel extremely dangerous if not impossible,’ Master Sgt. Matt McCormick told The Associated Press.