Bourbonnais, Illinois commemorates 25 years since Amtrak derailment killed 11
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (CBS) -- The Village of Bourbonnais on Friday marked 25 years since an Amtrak train derailed and killed 11 people.
The City of New Orleans train, which had been headed for New Orleans, hit a large flatbed truck carrying steel coils, which was trying to cross the tracks at the time. The impact killed 11 passengers, and another 122 people were hurt.
CBS 2 spoke Friday with Bourbonnais Mayor Paul Schore about the lasting legacy of togetherness that grew from the region's response to the 1999 tragedy.
"As soon as everyone had figured out what had happened, the call went out, and it was all the local area fire departments and rescue services – and stuff really from throughout the region – basically told everybody, 'Bring everything you've got, and everybody you've got," Schore said, "and they all came."
People are invited to share stories and photos from the crash in an online memorial, at the Bourbonnais village website.