Chicago Traffic

1 dead after FedEx truck strikes guard rail, catches fire on I-294 in suburbs

The crash occurred in the 2 a.m. hour at I-294 and Lake Cook Road in Deerfield

Emergency crews were on the scene early Tuesday after a truck struck a guardrail on I-294 and caught fire.

Around 2:30 a.m., a FedEx truck traveling on I-294 struck a guardrail at Lake Cook Road near Deerfield and Northbrook, the Illinois Police said. The truck caught fire and the driver was ejected from the vehicle, police added.

The driver was transported to nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries and was later pronounced deceased.

According to NBC 5 Traffic reporter Kye Martin, the crash was blocking the northbound ramp on the tri-state as of 6 a.m.

Photos and videos from the scene early Tuesday showed a large emergency presence surrounding a burned truck. Plumes of smoke could be seen rising into the air.

"We're still seeing the smoking FedEx truck blocking the ramp," Martin said, approximately four hours after the crash occurred.

According to Martin, traffic on I-294 was moving steadily despite the crash.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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