Fatal Crash Blocks Eisenhower Expressway
CHICAGO (CBS) -- One person was killed, and lanes of the Eisenhower Expressway were shut down Thursday afternoon near west suburban Berkeley, after several trucks and passenger vehicles were involved in a crash.
Three semi-trailer trucks and four passenger vehicles crashed near St. Charles Road around 2 p.m., blocking the inbound lanes, according to Illinois State Police.
The cab of one semi caught fire in the crash, as did at least two passenger cars.
Firefighters used the O'Hare foam truck to douse the flames, and the foam spread onto the outbound lanes.
Police said one person was killed and three other people sustained non-life threatening injuries. The identity of the person who died has not been released.
One man, whose backyard is along I-290, said he heard "three very loud bangs, then tires exploding."
All eastbound lanes at St. Charles could possibly be shut down until 5 Friday morning. Traffic is being rerouted off of the interstate at North Avenue onto local side streets. Commuters are encouraged to avoid the area.
The cause of the accident is under investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced late Thursday evening they are sending a team of seven to investigate the crash.
"Team will determine probable cause, examine fuel tank integrity, vehicle compatibility, rear end collision and mitigation, integrity of electronic logging devices in crash," NTSB tweeted.
