Sandstorm kills four, injures 16 on roads

Blinding sandstorms in the High Desert were blamed for a series of afternoon collisions that killed four people and injured several others in a series of highway pileups, officials said today.

Just north of Lancaster, two elderly men died and 16 people were hospitalized in three collisions that involved a total of four big rigs and eight other vehicles, said Officer Henry Ross of the California Highway Patrol.

The victims were not identified. Two of the injured were listed in critical condition, said Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Sam Padilla.

Winds were gusting up to 58 mph about 1:30 p.m., triggering three collisions on the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway near Avenue B, CHP and fire officials said.

Get the story by Daily News writers Jerry Berrios and Karen Maeshiro HERE.

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