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Helicopter crashes on Illinois highway

An Illinois Department of Transportation helicopter carrying five people crashed Tuesday morning along the side of Interstate 294 in suburban Chicago. There were no fatalities.
/ Source: The Associated Press

An Illinois Department of Transportation helicopter crashed Tuesday morning along the side of Interstate 294 in suburban Chicago, but no one was killed.

Four people who were in the helicopter were being treated for minor injuries at Advocate Christ Medical Center, said Illinois State Police spokesman Doug Whitmore.

A hospital spokeswoman confirmed the four were being treated, but she didn't know their conditions. No one on the ground was injured, Whitmore said.

IDOT spokesman Matt Vanover said he did not know the identities of those on board the helicopter.

The helicopter was carrying a pilot and three Illinois tollway employees who were conducting a routine flight to monitor and photograph construction work zones, according to IDOT.

Whitmore said no cars where hit when the helicopter crashed just off the shoulder of I-294, also known as the Tri-State Tollway, in Justice, which is about 15 miles south of Chicago. The helicopter came to rest on its side in a grassy area between the guardrail and a sound barrier that lines the road near a residential area.

According to the FAA, the accident happened around 10:15 a.m.

Two northbound lanes still were closed on I-294 about two hours after the crash.