A Spring Grove man died after his pickup truck crashed into a semi-truck, trapping him and causing a fire that engulfed the two vehicles on Interstate 88 in DuPage County.
The Oak Brook Fire Department and Illinois State Police responded around 2:39 p.m. Tuesday to Interstate 88 at the 139.5 mile marker near Oak Brook for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries and fire.
A 911 caller reported there was also a person trapped in one of the vehicles.
Fire crews arrived to find a pickup truck and semi-truck tractor-trailer crash.
Fire officials said the pickup truck sustained heavy front-end damage and had heavy fire coming from the engine compartment.
The fire was spreading to the semi-trailer as well as the passenger compartment of the pickup truck.
Bystanders were attempting to rescue a victim, later identified as Cory W. Vice, 35, of Spring Grove, who was trapped inside the pickup truck.
Firefighters initiated lifesaving measures by attempting to extinguish the fire while extricating Vice, fire officials said.
Vice was extricated from the vehicle and transported by ambulance to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood in critical condition.
A second person was transported to Elmhurst Hospital in Elmhurst with non-life-threatening injuries.
Several bystanders declined transport to the hospital after being exposed to heat and smoke from the fire.
The semi-trailer was transporting a non-hazardous materials commodity, fire officials said.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office reported that Vice died in the hospital around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Autopsy results are pending.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police.