Driver Killed After Commercial-Grade Fireworks Exploded Inside SUV While Driving on I-290 Last Thursday
Interstate Highway 290 E & N Mannheim Rd
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Summary
- A man was found dead inside an SUV on I-290 near Mannheim Road in Westchester, Illinois, last Thursday, prompting a massive law enforcement response and an eight-hour highway closure.
- According to a senior law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the case, a commercial-grade firework ignited inside the driver compartment of the SUV and shot into the chest of the driver, 47-year-old Jorge Vaca of Cicero, killing him. The blast blew out the windows of Vaca's SUV, which came to a stop on the highway. No one else was hurt.
- The Cook County Medical Examiner has not yet released an autopsy report, and the manner of death remains under investigation.
- The investigation is being led by the FBI and ATF, with support from several federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Timeline
Vaca's autopsy report has not yet been released, police say. The Cook County Medical Examiner said the manner of death is still under investigation.
No other injuries were reported in the blast.
The driver has since been identified as 47-year-old Jorge Vaca of Cicero.
FBI officials confirm commercial-grade fireworks ignited inside the driver compartment of the SUV. The fireworks struck the driver in the chest, killing him as he drove on I-290 near Mannheim Road. The blast also blew out the SUV's windows.
According to an update from NBC 5 Chicago, law enforcement officials have provided new details regarding last week's vehicle explosion on I-290 outside Chicago.
The roads have been re-opened. The nature of the incident remains unclear.
The address reported for this incident has changed to Interstate Highway 290 E & N Mannheim Rd.
The FBI is also investigating.
According to NBC5, the DEA is now assisting with the investigation.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has also responded to the scene, per ABC 7 Chicago.
Police say there is no threat to the public at this time. However, the investigation is still ongoing.
WGNTV 9 News reports a person is deceased at the scene.
Citizen users report an individual may be deceased at the scene. Citizen is working to confirm this information.
Expect major delays and plan alternate routes if possible.
It's unclear if anyone was injured or killed.
Samdesk sources also report arson investigators have arrived to assist at the scene.
According to Fox 32 News, Bomb Squad personnel have arrived at the scene and were spotted approaching the affected vehicle.
Mannheim Road is closed approaching I-290.
Additionally, I-88 is also closed in the eastbound direction approaching I-290, according to ISP.
An update from the Illinois State Police on X (formerly Twitter) confirms I-290 is closed in both directions near I-294.
According to information sourced via Samdesk, multiple first responders are operating at the scene of a vehicle explosion on I-290.
Incident reported at Interstate Highway 290 E & I-294 N.
Vaca's autopsy report has not yet been released, police say. The Cook County Medical Examiner said the manner of death is still under investigation.
No other injuries were reported in the blast.
The driver has since been identified as 47-year-old Jorge Vaca of Cicero.
FBI officials confirm commercial-grade fireworks ignited inside the driver compartment of the SUV. The fireworks struck the driver in the chest, killing him as he drove on I-290 near Mannheim Road. The blast also blew out the SUV's windows.
According to an update from NBC 5 Chicago, law enforcement officials have provided new details regarding last week's vehicle explosion on I-290 outside Chicago.
The roads have been re-opened. The nature of the incident remains unclear.
The address reported for this incident has changed to Interstate Highway 290 E & N Mannheim Rd.
The FBI is also investigating.
According to NBC5, the DEA is now assisting with the investigation.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has also responded to the scene, per ABC 7 Chicago.
Police say there is no threat to the public at this time. However, the investigation is still ongoing.
WGNTV 9 News reports a person is deceased at the scene.
Citizen users report an individual may be deceased at the scene. Citizen is working to confirm this information.
Expect major delays and plan alternate routes if possible.
It's unclear if anyone was injured or killed.
Samdesk sources also report arson investigators have arrived to assist at the scene.
According to Fox 32 News, Bomb Squad personnel have arrived at the scene and were spotted approaching the affected vehicle.
Mannheim Road is closed approaching I-290.
Additionally, I-88 is also closed in the eastbound direction approaching I-290, according to ISP.
An update from the Illinois State Police on X (formerly Twitter) confirms I-290 is closed in both directions near I-294.
According to information sourced via Samdesk, multiple first responders are operating at the scene of a vehicle explosion on I-290.
Incident reported at Interstate Highway 290 E & I-294 N.
Vaca's autopsy report has not yet been released, police say. The Cook County Medical Examiner said the manner of death is still under investigation.
No other injuries were reported in the blast.
The driver has since been identified as 47-year-old Jorge Vaca of Cicero.
FBI officials confirm commercial-grade fireworks ignited inside the driver compartment of the SUV. The fireworks struck the driver in the chest, killing him as he drove on I-290 near Mannheim Road. The blast also blew out the SUV's windows.
According to an update from NBC 5 Chicago, law enforcement officials have provided new details regarding last week's vehicle explosion on I-290 outside Chicago.
The roads have been re-opened. The nature of the incident remains unclear.
The address reported for this incident has changed to Interstate Highway 290 E & N Mannheim Rd.
The FBI is also investigating.
According to NBC5, the DEA is now assisting with the investigation.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has also responded to the scene, per ABC 7 Chicago.
Police say there is no threat to the public at this time. However, the investigation is still ongoing.
WGNTV 9 News reports a person is deceased at the scene.
Citizen users report an individual may be deceased at the scene. Citizen is working to confirm this information.
Expect major delays and plan alternate routes if possible.
It's unclear if anyone was injured or killed.
Samdesk sources also report arson investigators have arrived to assist at the scene.
According to Fox 32 News, Bomb Squad personnel have arrived at the scene and were spotted approaching the affected vehicle.
Mannheim Road is closed approaching I-290.
Additionally, I-88 is also closed in the eastbound direction approaching I-290, according to ISP.
An update from the Illinois State Police on X (formerly Twitter) confirms I-290 is closed in both directions near I-294.
According to information sourced via Samdesk, multiple first responders are operating at the scene of a vehicle explosion on I-290.
Incident reported at Interstate Highway 290 E & I-294 N.
Vaca's autopsy report has not yet been released, police say. The Cook County Medical Examiner said the manner of death is still under investigation.
No other injuries were reported in the blast.
The driver has since been identified as 47-year-old Jorge Vaca of Cicero.
FBI officials confirm commercial-grade fireworks ignited inside the driver compartment of the SUV. The fireworks struck the driver in the chest, killing him as he drove on I-290 near Mannheim Road. The blast also blew out the SUV's windows.
According to an update from NBC 5 Chicago, law enforcement officials have provided new details regarding last week's vehicle explosion on I-290 outside Chicago.
The roads have been re-opened. The nature of the incident remains unclear.
The address reported for this incident has changed to Interstate Highway 290 E & N Mannheim Rd.
The FBI is also investigating.
According to NBC5, the DEA is now assisting with the investigation.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has also responded to the scene, per ABC 7 Chicago.
Police say there is no threat to the public at this time. However, the investigation is still ongoing.
WGNTV 9 News reports a person is deceased at the scene.
Citizen users report an individual may be deceased at the scene. Citizen is working to confirm this information.
Expect major delays and plan alternate routes if possible.
It's unclear if anyone was injured or killed.
Samdesk sources also report arson investigators have arrived to assist at the scene.
According to Fox 32 News, Bomb Squad personnel have arrived at the scene and were spotted approaching the affected vehicle.
Mannheim Road is closed approaching I-290.
Additionally, I-88 is also closed in the eastbound direction approaching I-290, according to ISP.
An update from the Illinois State Police on X (formerly Twitter) confirms I-290 is closed in both directions near I-294.
According to information sourced via Samdesk, multiple first responders are operating at the scene of a vehicle explosion on I-290.
Incident reported at Interstate Highway 290 E & I-294 N.
Vaca's autopsy report has not yet been released, police say. The Cook County Medical Examiner said the manner of death is still under investigation.
No other injuries were reported in the blast.
The driver has since been identified as 47-year-old Jorge Vaca of Cicero.
FBI officials confirm commercial-grade fireworks ignited inside the driver compartment of the SUV. The fireworks struck the driver in the chest, killing him as he drove on I-290 near Mannheim Road. The blast also blew out the SUV's windows.
According to an update from NBC 5 Chicago, law enforcement officials have provided new details regarding last week's vehicle explosion on I-290 outside Chicago.
The roads have been re-opened. The nature of the incident remains unclear.
The address reported for this incident has changed to Interstate Highway 290 E & N Mannheim Rd.
The FBI is also investigating.
According to NBC5, the DEA is now assisting with the investigation.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has also responded to the scene, per ABC 7 Chicago.
Police say there is no threat to the public at this time. However, the investigation is still ongoing.
WGNTV 9 News reports a person is deceased at the scene.
Citizen users report an individual may be deceased at the scene. Citizen is working to confirm this information.
Expect major delays and plan alternate routes if possible.
It's unclear if anyone was injured or killed.
Samdesk sources also report arson investigators have arrived to assist at the scene.
According to Fox 32 News, Bomb Squad personnel have arrived at the scene and were spotted approaching the affected vehicle.
Mannheim Road is closed approaching I-290.
Additionally, I-88 is also closed in the eastbound direction approaching I-290, according to ISP.
An update from the Illinois State Police on X (formerly Twitter) confirms I-290 is closed in both directions near I-294.
According to information sourced via Samdesk, multiple first responders are operating at the scene of a vehicle explosion on I-290.
Incident reported at Interstate Highway 290 E & I-294 N.
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For everyone who is clearly lookin for laughs, if this was your mom or dad / loved one etc HOW WOULD YOU FEEL !???…..
🙏🙏🙏
Exploded???
@knoxvilleUser1622343008 yes this was confirmed on WGN9 and fox station
I was two cars behind it. Wasn’t an electronic vehicle. Construction worker and it just blew up out of nowhere
@MrPork no fire or nothing was bumper to bumper traffic and then the hood of the car just exploded out of nowhere.
I just saw in the news the car is still there. There is a dead body in the car and they called the bomb squad. So far no explosion.
For everyone who is clearly lookin for laughs, if this was your mom or dad / loved one etc HOW WOULD YOU FEEL !???…..
🙏🙏🙏
Exploded???
@knoxvilleUser1622343008 yes this was confirmed on WGN9 and fox station
I was two cars behind it. Wasn’t an electronic vehicle. Construction worker and it just blew up out of nowhere
@MrPork no fire or nothing was bumper to bumper traffic and then the hood of the car just exploded out of nowhere.
I just saw in the news the car is still there. There is a dead body in the car and they called the bomb squad. So far no explosion.
For everyone who is clearly lookin for laughs, if this was your mom or dad / loved one etc HOW WOULD YOU FEEL !???…..
🙏🙏🙏
Exploded???
@knoxvilleUser1622343008 yes this was confirmed on WGN9 and fox station
I was two cars behind it. Wasn’t an electronic vehicle. Construction worker and it just blew up out of nowhere
@MrPork no fire or nothing was bumper to bumper traffic and then the hood of the car just exploded out of nowhere.
I just saw in the news the car is still there. There is a dead body in the car and they called the bomb squad. So far no explosion.
For everyone who is clearly lookin for laughs, if this was your mom or dad / loved one etc HOW WOULD YOU FEEL !???…..
🙏🙏🙏
Exploded???
@knoxvilleUser1622343008 yes this was confirmed on WGN9 and fox station
I was two cars behind it. Wasn’t an electronic vehicle. Construction worker and it just blew up out of nowhere
@MrPork no fire or nothing was bumper to bumper traffic and then the hood of the car just exploded out of nowhere.
I just saw in the news the car is still there. There is a dead body in the car and they called the bomb squad. So far no explosion.
Stay informed on local incidents
Download Citizen
For everyone who is clearly lookin for laughs, if this was your mom or dad / loved one etc HOW WOULD YOU FEEL !???…..
🙏🙏🙏
Exploded???
@knoxvilleUser1622343008 yes this was confirmed on WGN9 and fox station
I was two cars behind it. Wasn’t an electronic vehicle. Construction worker and it just blew up out of nowhere
@MrPork no fire or nothing was bumper to bumper traffic and then the hood of the car just exploded out of nowhere.
I just saw in the news the car is still there. There is a dead body in the car and they called the bomb squad. So far no explosion.