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Woman Fatally Hit By Freight Train While Walking Around Stopped Metra Train

Updated 11/9/11 at 10:06 p.m.

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. (STMW) - A woman is dead after being hit by a freight train while trying to walk around a stalled Metra train Wednesday evening in west suburban Downers Grove.

It happened at 6:58 p.m. at the Downers Grove Main Street station, according to Downers Grove Lt. Mike Willison. A woman, who appeared to be middle aged, was walking south on Main Street on the east side when she apparently walked around the railroad gates around a Metra commuter train that was stopped on northbound tracks, Willison said.

As she walked around the Metra train she was hit by a westbound freight train which was on the center track, Willison said.

The woman was dead at the scene, he said, but her identity was pending family notification Wednesday night.

Police remained at the scene at 9:30 p.m.

BNSF Trains 1281, 1285 and 1287, which were scheduled to arrive in Aurora were initially stopped upon the approach to the Downers Grove Main Street station due to the pedestrian incident, a Metra service advisory said.

© Sun-Times Media Wire Chicago Sun-Times 2011. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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