MARION COUNTY — A blown tire is being blamed for a crash between three semi-trucks Thursday afternoon just south of Salem on Interstate 57 that closed the southbound lanes for several hours.

According to Illinois State Police, a semi being driven by 28-year-old Yazid Abdullah-Ali Al Nobi of Dearborn, Michigan, was northbound on I-57 when a front steer tire blew on his truck, causing him to lose control of the vehicle, which crossed the center median and struck two southbound semis.

Al Nobi’s semi struck the other two semis in their trailer axles, knocking the axles from both trucks. They continued southbound, however, before they both came to rest on the right side of the interstate. Al Nobi’s truck came to rest across both southbound lanes of I-57.

The crash occurred around 12:20 p.m., just four miles south of Salem, and closed the southbound lanes of the interstate for five and a half hours for investigation and cleanup. One southbound lane was reopened around 6 p.m. Thursday night.

Al Nobi was given a ticket for failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash. He and his 24-year-old passenger Mohammed Hussein Mohsen, of Detroit, Michigan, were both taken to Salem Township Hospital for treatment.

While the southbound lanes of the interstate were closed, traffic was detoured onto U.S. 50 in Salem, with the intent of routing vehicles to U.S. 51 in Sandoval. However, many vehicles instead used Selmaville Road and Bell Club Road, causing traffic to back up at Green Street Road and at Route 161.