Monday, May 20, 2013
Mapquest said one northbound lane was closed Monday afternoon.
Updated at 4:15 p.m. It appears traffic is now flowing at a normal rate through the I-294/I-55 interchange, according to Mapquest, who earlier reported a "serious fire" along northbound I-294. 4:02 p.m. Mapquest continues to report heavy traffic in the area of I-294's intersection with I-55, but there is no longer an alert regarding the fire. Original story: A fire along I-294 near its crossing with I-55 is causing traffic delays Monday afternoon, according to Mapquest. The fire has forced the closure of one lane on northbound I-294, reports Mapquest, which advises commuters to "expect some delays." Northern Illinois Fireground Photos posted this photo of the apparent grass fire on its Facebook page. Mapquest says the incident began at …
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
The March 7 train-on-pedestrian incident that killed Hickory Hills resident Eric Bennett near the Cass Avenue station has been ruled to be accidental in nature after the DuPage County Coroner's Office investigation.
The man who died after being struck by a Metra train near the Cass Avenue crossing in Westmont on March 7 did not commit suicide, DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said Wednesday. Jorgensen's office ruled in its report completed on April 20 that 31-year-old Eric Bennett, of Hickory Hills, did not intend to be hit by the eastbound commuter train that was carrying only an engineer and crew. But he did, according to witnesses the coroner spoke to, disobey down warning gates and had his head down before he was struck near the Westmont train station at around 5:46 p.m. that Thursday evening. READ: Male Pedestrian Dies After Being Struck by BNSF Metra Train in Westmont Jorgensen said the manner of death was "accidental," and the cause of …
Thursday, March 21, 2013
The DuPage County Coroner's Office is waiting on the victim's toxicology results before announcing a cause in the first of three recent fatal incidents along the BNSF tracks.
Those who want to know what officially led to the deaths of three men stuck by Metra trains in separate incidents this month will have to be patient. DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said Wednesday afternoon his office is still investigating the causes of the incidents that took place in Westmont on March 7, in Hinsdale on March 18, and in Downers Grove on March 19, and have yet to determine whether any of the victims intended to be hit or were hit by accident. The cause of the first incident, in which a 31-year-old Hickory Hills man was struck by a Metra train near the Cass Avenue crossing in Westmont, won't be released until Jorgensen's office receives the victim's toxicology results. That, the coroner said, will likely take two …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said the cause of the Tuesday morning collision is still under investigation.
The man who died Tuesday morning after he was struck by an eastbound Metra commuter train at the Forest Avenue crossing near downtown Downers Grove was a 21-year-old Downers Grove resident, DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said Wednesday. Jorgensen said initial findings show the man died of multiple head and chest traumas, but whether he intended to be hit or was accidentally hit has not yet been determined. "Our investigation is ongoing," he said. The incident occurred around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. According to Downers Grove police, the pedestrian disobeyed Forest Avenue crossing gates that were down before he was struck by the train that was preparing to stop at the Downers Grove-Main Street station. "Witnesses stated that the …
Three pedestrians have died after being struck by BNSF Metra trains. Most recently, a male pedestrian was hit by a train near downtown Downers Grove on Tuesday morning.
Roughly 25 to 30 fatal collisions involving Metra trains occur across the Chicagoland system each year, Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis said, but pinning down trends is difficult. “It’s not possible to discern a pattern,” said Gillis, citing unofficial statistics Metra’s media relations department keeps. “Sometimes they happen once every couple weeks, sometimes we get a few happening in quick succession and then don’t have one for a long time.” Three fatal train-on-pedestrian collisions have occurred this month along BNSF tracks in the western suburbs within a 12-day span. The first was on March 7, when a 31-year-old Hickory Hills man was struck by a train near the Cass Avenue BNSF crossing in Westmont. Monday, March 18, a 42-year-old …
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
It was the third train-on-pedestrian fatality in the last two weeks on the stretch of BNSF railway between Hinsdale and Downers Grove.
Updated at 4:30 p.m. The DuPage County Coroner's Office does know the identity of the male pedestrian who was killed by an eastbound train near downtown Downers Grove Tuesday morning, but is withholding all information, including age and residence, until all next of kin are notified, chief deputy coroner Charlie Dastych said. 12:21 p.m. The male pedestrian who died Tuesday morning after being struck by an eastbound commuter train near the Forest Avenue crossing in Downers Grove disobeyed crossing gates that were down, according to a statement released by the Downers Grove Police Department at 11:48 a.m. According to the statement, the incident was reported to police at 9:49 a.m. A Metra spokesman said the collision itself occurred around 9…
Monday, March 18, 2013
Hinsdale Police Chief Brad Bloom said it appears the man intended to be struck; the train was carrying passengers and was passing through the West Hinsdale train station when it hit the man.
Updated at 8:31 p.m. The 42-year-old man who died after he was struck by a Metra train passing through the West Hinsdale train station Monday afternoon was from Clarendon Hills, according to Hinsdale Police Chief Brad Bloom. Bloom said Monday night that, though the department is waiting on a coroner's report, it appears based on witness accounts and surveillance video of the incident that the man intentionally stepped in front of the train. "We can say fairly conclusively that it does not appear to be an accident," Bloom said. Bloom said the train that hit the man at approximately 3 p.m. was traveling through the West Hinsdale station when it hit the man. The chief estimated the train, which was carrying commuters, would have been …
Friday, March 8, 2013
Eric Bennett of Hickory Hills was killed Thursday evening after he was hit by an eastbound Metra train at the Cass Avenue crossing in Westmont.
Updated at 4:57 p.m. Westmont Police Department officials investigating the death of Eric Bennett, the 31-year-old Hickory Hills man struck by a Metra train Thursday at the Cass Avenue crossing, are waiting to see Metra's onboard video from that train before releasing any information about what led to the fatal collision, Sgt. Stephen Thompson said Friday afternoon. "At that point we’ll have more information," Thompson said. Typically, he said, Metra gets that video to investigators within seven days of the incident. Original story: The Westmont Police Department has released the identity of the man who died Thursday night after being struck by a Metra train in Westmont. The deceased is 31-year-old Eric Bennett of Hickory Hills, according…
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Trains resumed slowly through the area Thursday evening as police continued their investigation.
2:20 p.m. Friday Anyone who's been reading this story is likely looking both ways today when crossing the tracks, but Patch still thought it appropriate to pull together some railroad-crossing safety tips published by Metra. Read the tips here. 12:27 p.m. Westmont Police have released the identity of the man who has struck and killed by a Metra train Thursday night at the Cass Avenue crossing. The deceased is 31-year-old Eric Bennett of Hickory Hills. The circumstances that led to his being struck have yet to be released. Read Patch's full story here. 8:32 a.m. Calls from Patch to the Westmont Police Department and BNSF this morning seeking more information on the death of a man struck by a Metra train in Westmont Thursday were not …
Thursday, February 28, 2013
La Grange, Western Springs and La Grange Park departments all responded to the fire; the woman was revived on the scene by Hinsdale firefighters and was transported to Adventist Hinsdale Hospital.
Updated at 11:37 a.m. The Bruner Street home that went up in flames early Thursday morning was equipped with smoke detectors, but it is not known if they were in working condition when the fire started, The Doings reported. The paper is also reporting that the residents' dog was killed in the fire and that the home is currently "uninhabitable." 10:26 a.m. The woman who was rescued from a burning home in the 900 block of South Bruner Street early Thursday morning was in "critical" condition when she was transported to Adventist Hinsdale Hospital, Hinsdale Fire Chief Rick Ronovsky said. "The last we heard, she was in the intensive care unit," Ronovsky said around 10:15 a.m. According to the chief, the woman who was revived by firefighters …
Tommy O
6:00 pm on Friday, May 10, 2013
Mickey- You state, "I believe the least that can be done is his little girl should be taken care of...." By whom? more ›