Two elementary students from Pleasantdale School District 107 in La Grange were killed Wednesday, Nov. 11, when an Amtrak train struck a car at the Wolf Road railroad crossing in Western Springs. A third person was taken to Loyola Hospital in Maywood with injuries.
Superintendent Dave Palzet confirmed the deaths in a letter posted on the district's website. The district is not releasing the students' names or ages out of respect for the family.
The crash happened at about 8 a.m. The Village of Western Springs confirmed two deaths and one injury in an 11:15 a.m. update.
School district response
School social workers told staff and homeroom students about the deaths Wednesday afternoon, according to NBC Chicago. Pleasantdale School District 107 encompasses kindergarten through eighth grade.
Palzet said the district's crisis response team met with students and staff on Wednesday. Counselors and crisis staff will be at Pleasantdale Elementary on Thursday, Nov. 12, to continue supporting the school community.
He encouraged parents to talk with their children about the loss and to watch for behavioral changes.
Hinsdale Metra service suspended
All inbound and outbound BNSF Metra trains stopped for most of Wednesday morning. No train service was available between Stone Avenue and Highlands, according to ABC 7's report.
Metra arranged limited service on either side of the crash site. Trains ran between Chicago Union Station and La Grange Road to the east and between Aurora and Hinsdale to the west. Two Pace buses carried passengers between La Grange and Hinsdale, Metra said.
What Amtrak said
Amtrak said in a statement that Train No. 381 was traveling from Chicago to Quincy at about 8:10 a.m. when a vehicle came onto the tracks. Amtrak described the location as just west of La Grange. No injuries were reported among the 35 passengers and crew members aboard, according to the statement. Amtrak said it is working with local authorities to investigate.
Scene and response
NBC Chicago reported that smoke rose from the crash site as crossings at Grand Avenue and Wolf Road were closed. Mike Struglinski told ABC 7 he was at a nearby bank when he heard the crash.
How the collision happened remained unclear. The investigation is ongoing.
Western Springs announced that social workers will be on site at Village Hall on Thursday, Nov. 12, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. to assist anyone who witnessed the crash.
