Metra Train Struck And Hits With Car In Chicago, 2 Adults And 1 Kid Are Killed

CHICAGO — Officials say two people and a kid were killed when a Metra train struck their car in Chicago on Sunday.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a train going north into the city struck a car shortly after 5 p.m. on the city’s Far South Side and pushed it a half-mile before coming to a complete stop.

According to Metra spokesperson Meg Reile, the force of the accident caused the train’s first car to partially derail and catch fire.

According to fire authorities, two adults and one kid in the vehicle were declared deceased at the site. Another passenger in the car, a 43-year-old man, was taken to the hospital in excellent to fair condition.

The conductor and engineer of the train both suffered injuries, though they were not thought to be life-threatening, according to Reile. According to her, 41 passengers on board the train rejected medical treatment and were moved to a separate stop so they could continue their journey into the city.

The train’s speed at the time of the crash was not immediately known, however, Reile said the speed limit for trains in that region is 79 mph.

“At this point in time, our belief was that everything was working as it should,” Reile added. “However, we will be taking downloads and checking the equipment to make sure it was functioning correctly at the time of the event — and this is standard operating practice whenever there is an issue involving a train, whether it is a death or not. However, at this moment, we have no evidence that our signals and gates were malfunctioning.”

There was no more information available at the time. Officials from Metra are now conducting an inquiry.