More than 30 people were injured, fortunately none seriously, according to preliminary reports, when a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train derailed, crashing through a barrier at the end of a platform before jumping up an escalator at the O’Hare International Airport in the early morning hours of Monday.
“The train actually climbed over the last stop, jumped up on the sidewalk and then went up the stairs and escalators,” Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Jose Santiago told reporters, according to NBC Chicago.
While it’s too early in the investigation to know the exact cause of the accident that occurred at around 2:55 am Central Time on Monday, CTA spokesman Brian Steele suggested that, from the video footage, speed may have been a factor.
“It appears as though the train would have been going faster than a train normally berthing at this station would be,” said Steele. “Normally a train pulls in at just a couple miles and hour and pulls into the station. Obviously this train did not stop so speed could be a factor here.”
By John Halas
Photos via Twitter @Colonel Tribune / @BrnrJohn / @nbcchicago / @MoreCoffeeJim / @nycjim
Shout out to Maria for the tip!
VIDEO
PHOTO GALLERY
#CTA spokesman on crash at #ORD: "Speed could be a factor here."
http://t.co/HSvqI0tLLZ @anthonyponceTV pic.twitter.com/iQDlIkYiv8
— NBC Chicago (@nbcchicago) March 24, 2014
#CTABlue derails at #ORD.
32 people injured, official says.
Developing details: http://t.co/MvBxdhtcKZ pic.twitter.com/nAd0UY2NLF
— NBC Chicago (@nbcchicago) March 24, 2014
Mind the gap. RT @Heminator: Yikes. RT @gabrielmalor: Dude. #CTA at O'Hare. pic.twitter.com/BaeCEkOE1I
— Jim (@MoreCoffeeJim) March 24, 2014
Commuter train derails at O'Hare Airport Chicago. More than 2 dozen hurt.Via @businessinsider http://t.co/mR6hMsga5s pic.twitter.com/uOyGpVAgrt
— John Brenner (@BrnrJohn) March 24, 2014
30 injured in CTA Blue Line derailment at O'Hare http://t.co/g2OAiuktdG pic.twitter.com/qyu8R8qdOs
— Colonel Tribune (@ColonelTribune) March 24, 2014