Two people are dead after an Amtrak train hit a car near Western Springs, Illinois, on Wednesday morning.
Western Springs officials said a westbound Amtrak train hit a car on the tracks at Wolf Road around 8 a.m. An Amtrak spokesperson said the train was headed from Chicago to Quincy, Illinois, at the time.
Officials said two people died and one person was taken to Loyola Hospital in Maywood.
While the victims have not yet been identified pending notification of next of kin, the superintendent of Pleasentdale School District 107 wrote in a statement to parents that two of the district's students had been killed in the crash.
"Words cannot express the heartbreak and sorrow we feel as we mourn this devastating loss," Dr. Dave Palzet wrote in his message. "We extend our deepest condolences to the family. Our thoughts, prayers, and support are with them."
The district did not release the students' names or ages out of respect for the family.
People nearby heard the crash and sprang into action in the aftermath.
"I heard this loud boom and all of a sudden I saw flames and everything," said Michael Strunglinski. "First I thought, because the train went by and I thought maybe it was something with the train, but it had to have hit something."
A witness, who did not want to go on camera, said the gates were down and the lights were on at the time of the crash. He said the driver of a Mitsubishi was driving south on Wolf Road and went around the gate.
The witness told CBS News Chicago that the gates weren't down for a long time, and questioned if they malfunctioned. However, early reports from the village indicated that the gates were functioning at the time of the crash.
The car burst into flames in the aftermath of the crash.
"I was in shock because I've never seen anything that bad, and I'm thinking, if the gates come down, they always say 'Stop. Listen. Live.' And unless they were in a hurry, I don't know why they would go around the gates," Strunglinski said. "But it's sad."
"There was no noise when the train accident happened, but we saw smoke and shortly after the car was engulfed in flames," said Mark Wolz.
Wolz, who owns Elite Fitness and Gym, said his members and staff immediately ran out with a fire extinguisher to try and put out the flames.
"With the help of a couple of our members, they ran out and were able to get the woman out of the car," he said.
Pleasantdale School District said homeroom students and staff were notified about the deaths by social workers Wednesday afternoon, and counselors and crisis staff will be on site Thursday to support students, teachers and staff following the loss.
Amtrak and Western Springs officials confirmed that the 35 passengers and crew members were not injured and all were able to safely disembark from the train after the crash.
A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board said the agency is aware of the incident, but has not opened an investigation.
Amtrak said a bus was brought in to take passengers to all stops between La Grange and Quincy.
Metra confirmed that multiple inbound and outbound BNSF trains were canceled as a result of the Amtrak crash on the same tracks the BNSF line uses.
BNSF trains were not expected to resume service at least until noon. Metra recommended riders use Southwest Service or Heritage Corridor trains instead, and warned there could be significant crowding at Union Station on Wednesday evening.
Crossings at Grand Avenue and Wolf Road are closed. Lawn Avenue remains open.
