An eastbound Burlington Northern train that struck two people Saturday afternoon near Eudora sits on the tracks while emergency responders attend to the victims.

Emergency responders park Saturday afternoon on railroad tracks near Eudora while responding to two people injured by an eastbound train.

Two 16-year-old boys, one of whom lives in Lawrence, were severely injured by a train on a bridge Saturday afternoon near Eudora.

About 3:30 p.m., Douglas County emergency personnel responded to reports of the two injured by an eastbound train on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway line on city property near downtown Eudora, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Steve Lewis said.

Lewis said the two boys, one from Lawrence and one from Eudora, were “hanging out” on a railroad bridge when they heard the train coming. Neither boy was able to get out of the train’s way, Lewis said.

All train traffic was stopped while emergency vehicles parked on the tracks to attend to the victims. Two LifeStar helicopters transported the victims, who suffered serious injuries including multiple fractures, to Kansas City area hospitals, Lewis said.

First responders from the Eudora Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical and the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the incident.

Nancy Staples, of Eudora, who lives near where the collision occurred, said it is common for youth to play on the railroad tracks.

“Kids are down there all the time,” Staples said. “My son used to go to the railroad tracks. They are lucky it’s only fractures.”

The victims’ identities were not released, and their conditions were unknown Saturday night.