Metra passenger killed in fiery crash with semi truck in Clarendon Hills, at least four others hurt

CHICAGO (CBS) — A Metra passenger was killed Wednesday morning when a BNSF Railway line train hit a semi truck in Clarendon Hills, causing the truck to burst into flames.

Metra said, sometime before 8:30 a.m., an inbound BNSF Railway line train hit a truck on the tracks in Clarendon Hills.

Metra said a passenger on the train, a woman, was killed in the collision. Four other people on the train suffered minor injuries, including two passengers, a conductor, and an engineer.

No one in the truck was 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 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.

Metra said all inbound and outbound service remained on the BNSF Railway suspended as of 10:45 a.m., and recommended riders use the Union Pacific West Line as an alternative. Metra said it does not yet have a timeline for when BNSF Railway line service will resume.

National Transportation Safety Board officials are investigating.