Metra passenger killed, 4 others hurt when train hits truck in Clarendon Hills; BNSF Railway resumes limited service
CLARENDON HILLS, Ill. (CBS) -- A Metra passenger was killed and four other people were injured Wednesday morning when a BNSF Railway line train hit a semi-truck in west suburban Clarendon Hills, causing the truck to burst into flames.
Service on the BNSF Railway was suspended deep into the afternoon.
Metra said around 8 a.m., an inbound BNSF Railway line train hit a truck on the tracks in Clarendon Hills. A Metra spokesperson said, based on initial reports, the truck apparently got stuck behind another vehicle just before the crash.
Metra said a passenger on the train, a woman in her 60s, was thrown from the train and killed in the collision. Four other people on the train suffered minor injuries, including two passengers, a conductor, and an engineer.
The truck driver was able to escape before the train hit the truck, and was not injured.
The crash caused the truck to roll over and burst into flames. The local firefighters' association said the impact also caused power lines above the truck to catch fire.
Some power also lines came down, which might have affected power in the area.
The truck was badly burned, and the train also had major damage from the collision.
"The ringing of the whistle, and then a huge noise. To me, the first thing that occurred to me was the train had hit something," said witness Krish Rangaswamy.
Emily Schwitz, who works nearby, said she saw the incident unfold. She said a crossing gate had come down, but the warning was not in full effect.
"One of the actual things had gone down, but there wasn't any sounds. So I saw the driver get out of the driver's seat and run, and by the time I looked back, the truck had been flipped almost upside down," she said.
CBS 2's Sabrina Franza obtained exclusive video of the accident. The video was taken by Tom Szurgot from a car waiting at the crossing. Bells are heard and red lights are flashing, but the truck is poised under a partially-lowered crossing gate.
First, two people are seen getting out of the truck as the Metra train sounds its horn. Then, the Metra train plows right into the truck, also demolishing the crossing gate and taking down overhead wires. A cloud of black smoke emerges on the other side of the train, and the remains of the truck are revealed to be on fire after the train passes.
"It just sounded like, you can't explain it," said Samije Ademi. "It's something when you hear it, your heart beating starts getting faster because you know it's not normal."
Ademi also took video, showing a tower of flames and smoke on the track after the wreckage of the truck was engulfed.
"It felt like it was off the chair, for sure," Ademi said, "and then my bag just went on the floor."
Witnesses told us they saw the truck stalled. We contacted Del's Moving and Storage, whose logo is seen on the truck in the horrifying cellphone video, to ask about their drivers. There was no answer.
"There is a four-inch lip that's very sharp, and every single driver that comes on through here has to slow down to almost a stop to go over it," said delivery driver Daniel Pehrson.
Pehrson said he comes through the crossing at least 30 times a day while making his deliveries.
"I actually got stuck on the tracks one time from somebody stopping and not going on the other side, and I was on tracks," he said, "and I was kind of nervous, but there was no train coming."
Meanwhile, all inbound and outbound service was halted for hours after the crash. It remained suspended until around 2:30 p.m., when Metra announced some trains had begun running again, after opening two tracks for service with a reduced number of trains and crews.
The BNSF Railway resumed a limited-service plan for outbound trains during the Wednesday afternoon rush. In Wednesday only, those heading to Clarendon Hills had to tell the conductor they wanted to stop there.
At Union Station in the West Loop Gate, passengers told CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot late Wednesday that they were glad to hear service was being restored so they could get home, or head to work or appointments.
"I was going to take the 1:30 and I saw it was being cancelled, so yes, I am very happy to be able to get on a train and go to Aurora," said Belinda Dennis.
A Metra spokesperson says two tracks were reopened for service with a reduced number of crews and trains in the aftermath of the collision.
"Think of the people that won't see their family at dinner tonight, never vacation again, you know, all of it," said Jim Elder. "I can get over this inconvenience. I'm supposed to be at therapy at 3:30 or 4, and I'm like, I'm not going to make it. I'll just be really late. I'm getting there though."
Metra told CBS 2's Le Mignot the BNSF Line will operate on a Saturday schedule on Thursday, and trains will not be stopping at Clarendon Hills. BNSF Railway riders should check Metra's website for service updates.
And while the investigation continued late Wednesday, a small memorial has been growing for the woman who lost her life at the scene. The DuPage County Coroner's office has not released her identity.
An autopsy on the woman's body is scheduled for Thursday.
By 10 p.m., the National Transportation Safety Board was on the scene with flashlights in hand, trying to determine how the horror all happened.
The NTSB is expected to provide an update on the investigation on Thursday.
