Six people went to area hospitals following a major multi-car collision on the city’s South Side on Sunday evening.
The Chicago Fire Department deployed multiple emergency units to the scene near West 87th Street and South Western Avenue.
First responders arrived at the heavily trafficked intersection, which sits along a bustling commercial corridor bordering the Ashburn and Wrightwood neighborhoods.
Paramedics assessed numerous victims on the scene before organizing a large-scale medical transport operation.
A total of five vehicles sustained damage during the chain-reaction incident.
One unidentified individual suffered life-threatening injuries and remains in critical condition at a nearby trauma center.
Ambulances rushed two other victims to hospital emergency rooms in serious condition.
Medical personnel transported the remaining three individuals in good condition with minor injuries.
The collision occurred during peak evening traffic hours along South Western Avenue, a major North-South thoroughfare utilized by thousands of daily South Side commuters.
Tow trucks and emergency crews spent hours clearing the mangled vehicles and scattered automotive debris from the roadway.
The multi-car wreckage forced temporary lane closures, causing extensive traffic delays for blocks surrounding the busy West 87th Street intersection.
Local business employees reported hearing a loud impact before emergency sirens filled the neighborhood.
The Chicago Fire Department did not immediately release the identities or ages of the six hospitalized individuals.
Authorities have not yet determined what specific factors caused the five vehicles to collide.
WATCH VIDEO BELOW.
The Chicago Police Department has assumed control of the active scene to conduct a formal traffic investigation.
Officers are checking nearby commercial surveillance cameras to piece together the sequence of events leading up to the impact.
Local community groups frequently emphasize the need for heightened driver awareness along this specific stretch of West 87th Street due to dense commercial retail traffic.
Local safety advocates advise drivers to maintain safe stopping distances and monitor speed limits closely when navigating large multi-lane intersections on the South Side.
Police expect to release more detailed information regarding potential traffic citations or criminal charges as the investigation progresses.
