Urgent: Three Dead, Five Injured in I-57 Chain-Reaction Crash

UPDATE: A tragic series of accidents on I-57 in Calumet Park has left three people dead and at least five injured early this morning. The incidents, involving multiple vehicles, began shortly after midnight and have severely disrupted the morning commute.

According to Illinois State Police, the first crash involved three vehicles. Shortly thereafter, a second collision occurred when a separate vehicle struck three individuals who were outside their cars at the scene of the initial accident. The road remains closed, with significant backups extending to West Pullman, Blue Island, Posen, and beyond.

Traffic reporter Kye Martin of NBC 5 noted, “It’s locking you in as you come in from the south suburbs.” Northbound lanes of I-57 were completely shut down at 119th Street until about 8 a.m., causing substantial delays during peak hours.

The consequences of the crashes are dire. The three individuals struck were pronounced dead at the scene, while the five others were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. The identities of the deceased have not yet been released by authorities, and no information is available on whether weather conditions contributed to the accidents.

Survivor Arthur Thomas shared his terrifying experience with WGN-TV, recounting a harrowing call he received from his daughter, who was involved in the incident. “My daughter called me and told me that somebody had hit her, and she had tried to chase them down, and they ran her off the road,” Thomas explained.

Cleanup efforts at the crash site are ongoing, with firefighters and tow trucks working diligently to clear the roadway. As authorities continue their investigation into the cause of these devastating accidents, updates are expected to follow as more details emerge.

Stay tuned for further developments on this urgent situation as the investigation unfolds.