Amtrak train hits car in Western Springs, killing two elementary students; one seriously hurt

An Amtrak train from Chicago to Quincy struck a car at the Wolf Road grade crossing in Western Springs, Illinois, at about 8:10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, and the car caught fire. Two elementary school students in the car were killed and a woman was seriously injured and taken to hospital. None of the 35 passengers or crew members on the train was hurt.

Victims were elementary students; names withheld

Dave Palzet, superintendent of Pleasantdale School District 107, confirmed to NBC Chicago that the two children killed were students at Pleasantdale Elementary School. The district is not releasing their names or ages out of respect for the families. Staff and students were informed on Wednesday afternoon, and counsellors and crisis staff will be at the school on Thursday. The third person in the car was a woman, WGN-TV reported, who was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood with severe injuries.

Car caught fire; BNSF line halted for hours

The train was Amtrak No. 381, the Carl Sandburg, bound from Chicago to Quincy. After the impact the car burned on the tracks beside the Western Springs station platform, with helicopter footage showing a large plume of smoke. The village said all grade crossings near the scene had reopened by about 2:20 p.m. Metra's BNSF line was halted for much of the day and resumed service on two of its three tracks in the afternoon, with significant delays and cancellations into the evening commute; the evening eastbound Carl Sandburg from Quincy to Chicago was cancelled, with buses provided instead.

Investigators have not said why the car was on the tracks. Sources: NBC Chicago, Trains.com, Chicago Sun-Times.