Cook County Sheriff's Police said three sport-utility vehicles and a semi-tractor trailer truck were involved in what appeared to be a chain-reaction accident in the northbound lanes of Route 53, near Interstate Highway 90.
The truck rear-ended one of the SUVs, forcing it into the others, police said.
One SUV that was cut in half by the force of the collision burst into flames, according to authorities.
One victim was taken in critical condition to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge and two others were taken to Northwest Community Healthcare in Arlington Heights, sheriff's police said.
All northbound lanes of Route 53 remained closed to traffic as of 8 p.m. as investigators from the Cook County Sheriff's Department and Illinois State Police try to piece together what caused the crash.
