![Mount Prospect Des Plaines Metra train accident 5-13-11]( "MTPR-DESP_5_5-13-TO")
The lead car of the commuter train jumped the tracks and listed heavily. Tim Olk photo
A major Metra train accident occurred this morning at the intersection of Mt. Prospect Road and Northwest Highway in Mount Prospect, Illinois. The incident involved a collision between a Metra train and a dump truck, resulting in a partial derailment and fire just a quarter-mile down the tracks in Des Plaines. Emergency responders from both the Mount Prospect and Des Plaines Fire Departments arrived on scene and established a unified command to manage the situation.
The truck driver was killed instantly at the location of the crash, while several train passengers were taken to local hospitals with various injuries, though none were reported as critical. As more injured individuals were identified, the emergency response escalated from an EMS Box Alarm to a 5th Alarm. A PACE bus was also dispatched to transport patients who had been triaged as “green†— indicating minor injuries. Ambulances from Divisions 1, 3, and 20 were among those responding to the scene.
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Fuel which splashed along the exterior of the train ignited along the first two cars. Tim Olk photo
According to the Chicago Tribune, the train involved was Metra’s No. 636, heading inbound from Harvard when it collided with the dump truck around 8:40 a.m. near the Cumberland station. The truck, driven by Kazimierz Karasek, 59, from Prospect Heights, was carrying a load of concrete and had turned left onto Mt. Prospect Road despite the crossing gates being down and signals active. Officials believe the driver ignored the gates and attempted to turn left illegally, leading to the tragic collision.
The front car of the train came to rest about 200 yards east of the crossing, with visible damage to its structure. Union Pacific officials confirmed that the crossing gates were functioning properly but suggested the driver may have gone around them due to the diagonal layout of Northwest Highway. This is not the first time such an accident has occurred at this intersection, as a similar incident involving a dump truck happened nearly a decade ago.
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Looking southeast from Mt. Prospect Road shows the derailment of the first car. Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk and Larry Shapiro were on the scene and captured several powerful images of the aftermath. The photos show the dramatic impact of the crash, including the twisted remains of the truck, the partially derailed train, and the fuel fire that spread along the first two cars. One image reveals the truck's cab, which was sheared off and thrown roughly 50 feet away, while another shows the extent of the damage to the train’s lead car.
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Another perspective looking northwest along the tracks shows the entire train as it came to rest after the collision. Tim Olk photo
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A view from the relative point of impact shows the devastation to the dump truck and the scattering of the concrete load it was carrying. Tim Olk photo
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An overview of the intersection of Northwest Highway and Mt Prospect Road shows the accident scene. Larry Shapiro photo
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The truck's cab was sheared off and thrown roughly 50 feet from the rest of the truck. Larry Shapiro photo
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A view of the destroyed truck as scene from the north side of the accident scene. Larry Shapiro photo
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The train came to rest 1/4 of a mile further down the tracks. Larry Shapiro photo
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Paramedics attend to train passengers assembled on the opposite side of Northwest Highway. Larry Shapiro photo
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Damage to the lead car from striking the truck. Larry Shapiro photo
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Windows are damaged by the fire but protected the passengers inside. Larry Shapiro photo
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Damage to the second car from fuel which ignited outside the train. One of the truck's fuel tanks was lodged beneath the first car of the train. Larry Shapiro photo
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A patient is loaded onto a gurney after being immobilized by paramedics for the trip to a hospital. Larry Shapiro photo
Tim has a full gallery online HERE and Larry has a collection of images available HERE. You can also listen to radio traffic from this incident HERE.
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