Two elementary school students were killed and a woman was severely injured when an Amtrak train struck their vehicle at a suburban Chicago railroad crossing Wednesday morning.
The collision happened shortly after 8 a.m. on November 11 at the Wolf Road crossing in downtown Western Springs, about 20 miles west of Chicago. The vehicle burst into flames, prompting bystanders to rush toward the wreckage to help the driver escape.
Witness Kristen Potterton told ABC7 Chicago that the woman became trapped while trying to climb out. Several men brought a fire extinguisher and helped free her before she was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood with severe injuries.
“I heard this loud bang, and I walked out, and I saw the car up in flames, saw all the smoke,” witness Mike Struglinski said.
The two children were students at Pleasantdale Elementary School in nearby La Grange. Their names and ages had not been publicly released.
“Words cannot express the heartbreak and sorrow we feel as we mourn this devastating loss,” Pleasantdale School District 107 Superintendent Dave Palzet wrote in a message to families.
School social workers helped inform staff and classmates Wednesday. The district said counselors and crisis response staff would continue supporting students and employees in the days ahead.
Village officials said preliminary reports indicated the crossing gates were functioning and engaged when the collision occurred. Investigators are still examining the circumstances, including how the vehicle came to be on the tracks.
Amtrak said Train No. 381 was traveling from Chicago to Quincy. None of the 35 passengers and crew members aboard was injured, and passengers were provided bus transportation to continue their journey.
The crash halted Metra BNSF service through the area for hours, with cancellations continuing after the tracks reopened.
Western Springs also arranged for social workers to be available at Village Hall on Thursday, November 12, from 1 to 5 p.m. to support people who witnessed the crash.
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