Over 40 people were injured when a Chicago commuter train collided with a snow-clearing plow on Thursday morning, causing major disruptions to transit services in the city.
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train was traveling from Skokie to Chicago when it struck the plow near the Howard station around 10:35 am, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
There were 31 passengers and 9 CTA employees on board the Yellow line train at the time of the accident. Emergency officials said 38 people were treated for injuries, including children, and 3 were in serious condition.
The crash prompted the CTA to temporarily suspend services on its Red, Purple and Yellow lines while emergency response was ongoing. 15 ambulances were dispatched to the site to transport victims to hospitals.
An investigation into the exact causes of the collision is underway. CTA said the train made contact with rail maintenance equipment on the tracks, but details are still emerging.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said he is closely monitoring the situation and state resources will be made available as needed. The disruption to transit services on Chicago’s North Side is expected to create difficulties for commuters and travelers.
Officials described a chaotic scene as first responders tended to injured passengers both on and off the train. The crash highlights concerns over the intersection of rail equipment with active train traffic on CTA’s network.