Metra Train Fatally Strikes Woman In Wilmette

WILMETTE, IL — There were major delays on Metra Wednesday morning after a train fatally struck a pedestrian. Inbound and outbound trains were both stopped at Wilmette until about 10 a.m. as a result of the incident. Train No. 320 running express from Kenosha, which had been scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 8:26 a.m., struck a pedestrian around 7:55 a.m., according to a Metra spokesperson and Wilmette police.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Wilmette police said the pedestrian was an 82-year-old woman who lived in Wilmette. Police said a preliminary investigation indicates the woman was walking eastbound along the north sidewalk of Central Avenue.

All train gates were deployed and were functioning properly, according to Wilmette Police Deputy Chief Kyle Murphy. The pedestrian went around the gates and kept walking eastbound, attempting to make it across the tracks. Police said she was hit along the east tracks by a southbound express train and died instantly.

Witnesses said the woman appeared to be trying to get to the platform ahead of the train when she stepped across the tracks. They told WLS it looked as if she may have thought the train was going to stop at the Wilmette Metra station at 722 Green Bay Rd. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified the woman as Zenobia W. Ciesielska. (Sign up for the latest breaking news alerts and daily newsletters from Wilmette, or your local community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

Metra announced that an extra train has been added south of the closure from Central Street station in Evanston.

Metra Alert UP-N - #319, Sched. to Arrive Waukegan at 10:04 AM - Terminating at Evanston-Central Street - Extra Train Back Into Chicago
— Metra UP-N (@metraUPN) July 26, 2017

Two other trains have been canceled so far, according to Metra.

Metra Alert UP-N - Train #332 and #336 Will Not Operate Today
— Metra UP-N (@metraUPN) July 26, 2017

After about 97 minutes of delay, Train No. 320 was released by local authorities and sent downtown.

Metra Alert UP-N - Train #320 ONLY Has Been Released For Train Movement - Expressing into Chicago
— Metra UP-N (@metraUPN) July 26, 2017

The first trains began passing the site of the crash shortly before 10 a.m. as the tracks began to reopen. Trains are expected to operate with up to two hours of delay Wednesday.

Metra Alert UP-N - #319, Sched. to Arrive Waukegan at 10:04 AM - Will Operate Through Wilmette and Continue To Waukegan - REVISED
— Metra UP-N (@metraUPN) July 26, 2017

The incident resulted in a doubling of rates for the Uber ride-hailing app, according to social media users.

@Uber - your prices surged to 2x the normal rate today when a pedestrian was struck by a Metra train in Wilmette, IL. Bogus.
— Aimee Emery-Ortiz (@AEO60085) July 26, 2017

Top photo via Shutterstock