A pedestrian was killed after they were struck by a Metra train in Zion as the train was traveling to Waukegan to start a route Saturday morning, officials said.
The Zion Fire-Rescue Department, Metra Police Department and Zion Police Department responded around 8:38 a.m. to the area of Eden Avenue and Shiloh Boulevard for a report of a person struck by a train.
Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that a Metra train was traveling from Kenosha on an equipment move.
The train was scheduled to start run #808 out of Waukegan but was not scheduled to stop at Zion.
The train struck a pedestrian that was on the train track near the Zion Metra station.
The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene, Reile said.
She said it was unknown why the pedestrian was there and that no trains were scheduled to stop at the station around the time of the incident.
Metra said in an alert at 8:50 a.m. that inbound and outbound train movement was halted.
One of the tracks was cleared for train movement around 10:30 a.m. Extensive delays to and from Kenosha were expected, Metra said.
Reile said the open track will allow for trains to get through but they would not be stopping at the Zion station.
An active police investigation was underway and the Lake County Coroner’s Office was called to the scene.
An autopsy is in the process of being scheduled.
The victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification to the next of kin.