CHICAGO (CNN) -- A commuter train collided with a dump truck near Chicago on Friday morning, killing the truck driver and critically injuring the train engineer, Illinois officials said.

Witnesses told Mount Prospect police Cmdr. John Wagner that "the train crossing gates were down, the warning lights were operational, and the 'no left' sign was illuminated" when the truck, carrying a load of concrete, attempted to make a left turn.

The 59-year-old truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene; the train engineer is in critical condition after being taken to a local hospital for treatment, Wagner said.

Another 28 train passengers were taken to hospitals after the collision caused the first two cars of the trail to derail, Wagner said.

The collision, which happened just before 9 a.m. Friday, sent a plume of smoke into the air, said Jeff Freeman, a photographer for CNN affiliate WLS.

The station quoted Freeman as saying that he was on a platform at the Cumberland station, waiting for a Union Pacific Northwest Train, when he "saw a ridiculously large black plume of smoke."

"The train stopped moving, and it looked like it was off the tracks," Freeman said.

Video images showed the train upright but with the wheels of at least one car off the tracks.

Metra is a commuter rail agency serving people in more than 100 communities in and around Chicago. It has 11 lines that run from five stations in downtown Chicago to 239 stations in six counties.

According to Wagner, there are no trains currently running on the Metra Pacific Northwest Line, and it is unknown at this time when service will resume.

CNN's Rich Porter contributed to this report.