Four people were killed Wednesday near a Chicago suburb following an SUV hitting a rail car and catching fire, according to officials.
Four people were found dead in an SUV that caught fire after the vehicle hit a freight train overnight in Harvey, officials said. https://t.co/z8QY12k1G9
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) March 9, 2022
Jason Baumann, spokesperson for the city of Harvey, said a Dodge Durango SUV hit a CSX train about 2 a.m. near the east side of the city which resulted in the deaths of four passengers, according to NBC News.
No children were among those killed, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Harvey police and fire units arrived at the tracks on East 155th Street and South Halsted Avenue around 2 a.m. following a call from a passerby who spotted the flaming vehicle. Emergency units found the SUV in flames before proceeding to put out the fire, according to the Chicago Tribune. The four bodies were removed from the vehicle and identified Wednesday afternoon, according to Fox 32 Chicago.
Baumann said he arrived at the scene about 4 a.m. and that there was no train at the crossing, but CSX workers were replacing the crossing gates, according to USA Today.
“It drove into the freight train,” said Baumann, adding that the CSX train “was just about finished going through the tracks at that spot, and they hit the final end of the train.” The crash remains under investigation, according to NBC News. (RELATED: Car Goes Flying Into Home After Florida Man Steals Vehicle, Gets Stuck On Train Tracks)
“There were no injuries to the train crew. CSX extends its deepest sympathies to everyone impacted by this tragic incident, and we will work to support local law enforcement as they investigate,” CSX said in a statement, according to NBC News.