The three-vehicle crash happened at Lake Cook Road and Northgate at about 7:39 p.m., Wheeling police said.
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One vehicle was traveling west on Lake Cook Road when it rear-ended a second vehicle, causing that vehicle to go into the eastbound lanes where it hit a third vehicle. One of the vehicles became engulfed in flames.
One driver died at the scene and another was transported to a hospital and later died. One of the victims has been identified to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office as Brenda Felix Soria of Inverness.
A third driver was transported to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police said. There were no passengers in any of the vehicles.
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Witnesses said they heard the crash when they were walking in the neighborhood. They said it caused a boom so loud they thought a transformer or some other electrical component blew. It wasn't until they walked to the area of the crash that they realized it was from cars.
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing. Anyone who witnessed it or has information is asked to contact police.