Investigation underway outside Phoenix to determine whether blowing dust was cause of fatal multivehicle crash

Watch: Dust storm leads to low visibility in Arizona

This video shows a dust storm in Arizona that lowered visibility in the Phoenix area on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

PHOENIX – An investigation is underway outside of Phoenix after officials say a multivehicle crash on Interstate 10 left at least four people dead and several others injured on Saturday.

According to information provided by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, just before 1 p.m. local time, troopers responded to the area of I-10 east near the community of Tonopah, about 50 miles west of Phoenix, that involved several tractor-trailers and passenger vehicles.

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At a news conference on Sunday, officials said they believe there was an initial collision, followed by one or more secondary collisions, which resulted in additional fatalities and injuries.

The National Weather Service office in Phoenix had issued numerous Dust Storm Warnings around the time of the crash, and officials are investigating whether blowing dust was a significant factor in the collisions due to reduced visibility.

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Currently, troopers believe the crash involved six commercial vehicles, four passenger vehicles, a van and a recreational vehicle that was towing a trailer.

Officials initially said that six people were killed in the crash and 13 others were injured, but at the news conference Sunday, that number was revised.

Officials now say four people were killed, and two people are in critical condition. One person was admitted to a hospital for care and precautionary treatment while five more people were treated and released.

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Work is still being done to notify families of the victims, so identities have not yet been released.

The highway was closed at the time of the crash, and westbound lanes were reopened later Saturday.

Early Sunday morning, the eastbound lanes of I-10 were reopened.

No other information was released.