Victims hit, killed by Amtrak train in Chester were 9 and 12 years old

This story originally appeared on 6abc.

Officials say the children were struck and killed by the 161 Amtrak train heading southbound to Washington D.C.

The train came to a stop several blocks later at Highland Avenue, according to officials.

Action News spoke with a woman last week who says she saw a group of children on the train tracks shortly before the crash.

She says she tried to urge them to leave the tracks.

“There was about five, or six, or seven of them. It was a pack of children on the track,” recalled Tracey from Chester. “We were getting out of the car and I said, ‘Oh, look at them children up there on that track.’ I said, ‘Ya’ll need to come down off that track,’ and they just looked, and I said ‘Ya’ll come down before you have an accident,’ and they just laughed and went about their business.”

“I just wish the children would have listened,” Tracey continued, “and I’m just so sorry.”