An Amtrak train hit a car at the Wolf Road crossing in Western Springs on Wednesday morning, killing two girls from Pleasantdale Elementary School and seriously injuring an adult woman. Amtrak news from the crash quickly shifted to response work, with counselors, crisis staff and social workers available the next day for people who witnessed it.
Heidi Rudolph, the Western Springs Village President, said in a statement that the community suffered a tragic loss shortly after 8 a.m. She said two children were killed and an adult was seriously injured, and she thanked the responders and social workers who helped after the crash.
Heidi Rudolph on Western Springs
Rudolph said, “Yesterday our community suffered a tragic loss. Shortly after 8 am, an Amtrak train struck a car at the Wolf Road crossing. Two children were killed and an adult was seriously injured. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Village of Western Springs, I extend our deepest sympathies to thefamilies, the Pleasantdale School community, and everyone who knew and loved these children.”
She also said, “This tragedy occurred in the heart of our village, in front of many area residents who will carry what they witnessed for a long time.”
Her statement added, “I want to recognize our police officers, firefighters, paramedics, public works staff, civilians, and all who responded to an extraordinarily difficult scene with professionalism,courage, and compassion. I'm also grateful for the social workers who continue to assist those in need of support.”
Pleasantdale School District 107
Dave Palzet, the superintendent of Pleasantdale School District 107, said, “The girls had been in our school since kindergarten.” He also said, “There is no playbook as to how to fully respond to a tragedy like this.”
The crash involved two girls from Pleasantdale Elementary School, and the district’s response extended into Thursday with counselors available for the school community. The source also says social workers were available Thursday at Western Springs Village Hall for anyone who witnessed the incident.
Wolf Road crossing response
Multiple witnesses said they saw a woman drive past the crossing gates, which were working normally, before the train struck the car. Witnesses said the woman survived the crash and that Good Samaritans used a fire extinguisher to douse the flames and help her escape after the vehicle was engulfed in flames.
No passengers on the train were injured. Metra service was affected Wednesday, while BNSF trains were running on-schedule Thursday. A makeshift memorial was outside the train station in downtown Western Springs near the crash site on Thursday, a sign that the immediate response had already moved from the tracks to the wider community around it.
