A witness says a girl, who was a Barrington High School student, was accidentally struck and killed by a Metra train in Barrington while trying to cross the tracks Thursday morning.
The Metra Police Department, Barrington Fire Department and Barrington Police Department responded around 7:45 a.m. Thursday to the Union Pacific Railroad train tracks in the area of Main Street and Hough Street in Barrington.
Kyle Kinnamon told Lake and McHenry County Scanner he called 911 to report a collision between a pedestrian and a Metra train.
Officers and paramedics arrived and confirmed the victim was dead at the scene, officials said. No one else was injured.
“This was a devastating accident that happened right in front of me on Route 59 before I got to the light at Main Street,” Kinnamon said, adding that the incident was not a suicide and the gates did not malfunction.
Kinnamon, who works in Barrington at an office two blocks away from the train crossing, said he watched the “life leave this poor girl’s eyes” as he was on the phone with 911.
“She was walking south and the westbound train had just gone through and she must have assumed that was the only one coming because she didn’t stop at the sidewalk, and as soon as she passed the gate the eastbound train came out of the fog and hit her,” Kinnamon said.
“It was all over in seconds,” he added.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office was notified and responded to the scene.
An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday on the victim, whose identity is being withheld until the autopsy is complete.
Barrington School District 220 Superintendent Dr. Craig Winkelman said in an email to the school community that the victim was a Barrington High School student.
“It is with great sadness that I share with you the tragic news of the passing of one of our Barrington High School students,” Winkelman said.
He also said that the student was accidentally struck by the train. Their family was notified and is receiving support, Winkelman added.
Metra reported all inbound and outbound train movement was halted near Barrington due to the incident, which involved train #634.
Trains departing from Chicago are not operating past Palatine.
Metra said extensive delays are reported on the UP-NW line and an extra inbound train is operating from Palatine to Chicago.
A Metra spokesperson said around 9:30 a.m. that trains were expected to resume service in the area shortly.
The spokesperson said he did not know the circumstances surrounding how the incident occurred as Metra police are still on the scene investigating.
Police have shut down several intersections in downtown Barrington, including Main Street and Hough Street as well as Route 14 and Hough Street.