Wednesday evening's rush hour turned tragic in Blue Island when a CSX freight train slammed into a car near the Broadway Street crossing, killing one person and leaving another in critical condition. The crash happened around 6:11 p.m., and Cook County Sheriff's deputies were among the first to reach the scene in the south suburban community.
According to CBS News, the CSX train struck the occupied vehicle near Broadway Street at roughly 6:11 p.m. Cook County Sheriff's officials and the railroad said one person died in the collision, and a second occupant was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. Western Avenue at 135th Street was shut down for a time after the crash, then later reopened, and investigators were still working the case on Thursday.
Grade Crossings Remain A National Safety Problem
The National Transportation Safety Board has repeatedly warned that highway-rail grade crossings account for a large share of rail-related deaths, and in testimony to Congress, the NTSB noted that the rate of grade-crossing collisions has increased over the last decade. The agency has highlighted design flaws, malfunctioning warning devices, and poor coordination between local governments and railroads as recurring factors in deadly crashes. Federal officials and safety advocates have urged that new infrastructure funds be used to upgrade crossings and cut down on what they say are preventable tragedies.
Local Complaints About The 135th And Western Crossing
In Blue Island, frustration over rail crossings is nothing new. Residents have long complained about the 135th Place and Western Avenue crossings, and a local CBS Chicago investigation found that gates in that stretch sometimes stay down or malfunction, leading impatient drivers to steer around them. That chronic problem is especially worrying in a freight-heavy town like Blue Island, where several rail lines converge and traffic is frequently forced to mix with long, slow-moving trains.
What Officials Say And Next Steps
Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims as investigators work to understand how the car ended up on the tracks. Officials are asking anyone with information or video from the area to contact the Cook County Sheriff's Office while the railroad and local investigators continue to review the scene and reconstruct what happened.
