A pedestrian died after they were struck by a freight train in downtown Mundelein, causing vehicle traffic to be blocked at busy railroad crossings Saturday afternoon.
The Mundelein Police Department and Mundelein Fire Department responded around 2:20 p.m. Saturday to the area of 209 East Park Street in Mundelein for a report of a train-involved crash.
Emergency crews arrived and found a pedestrian who had been struck by a train, according to emergency radio traffic.
The victim was pinned underneath the train when responders arrived and was unconscious and not breathing.
Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene, according to emergency radio traffic.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office was notified and responded to take possession of the victim for an autopsy.
The victim’s identity has not been released yet. An autopsy is likely to be performed on Monday.
The incident happened on the Canadian National Railway along Metra’s North Central Service (NCS) line.
The train involved was a Canadian National train and not a Metra train. The NCS line does not operate on the weekend.
The Canadian National Police Service responded to the scene to investigate.
The Mundelein Police Department said numerous crossings in town were blocked and unavailable to traffic due to the incident.
Those include the crossings at Route 176, Park Street, Morris Avenue and Hawley Street.
“Motorists are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes until further notice. Please allow for additional travel time and follow all posted detours and directions from emergency personnel,” the police department said.
“We appreciate your patience and cooperation as officers work to safely manage the situation. Updates will be provided as they become available,” the department added.
The Mundelein Fire Department declined to release information on the incident and deferred comment to the Mundelein Police Department, which has not released any preliminary information yet.
The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by the Mundelein Police Department and the Canadian National Police Service.