One Metra employee killed and another injured in blast along Milwaukee District's North Line

CHICAGO (WLS) –

A 46-year-old Metra worker was killed and another worker was seriously injured Saturday in an explosion in Old Irving Park, northwest of Chicago.

A little before noon, the men were welding and carrying out routine repairs on the north line of the Milwaukee District, in West Byron Block 4500, near the Grayland Station, at the time. an explosion, according to the Chicago Fire Department.

The cause of the blast was not immediately known and was under investigation, said Bruce Marcheschi, Metra's new operations manager.

Both workers were taken to the Masonic Medical Center of Illinois. The identities of the men were not revealed immediately, but Marcheschi said the deceased worker had worked in the railroad industry for 17 years.

Workers were tracking repairs made last weekend. About 17 workers were working in the area.

The Federal Railroad Administration investigation.

The last Metra worker who died was in July 2013, when a worker was hit by a train, said Marcheschi.

The incident hit two trains, but they were running normally Saturday afternoon.