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Paul Beaty/Daily Herald Emergency crews tend to victims of the Blue Line derailment Tuesday evening. |
A CTA Blue Line train fishtailed and caught fire during Tuesday’s afternoon rush, injuring 152 commuters -- including at least two critically -- and sending hundreds scurrying through the smoke-filled tunnel for safety.
At 5:09 p.m., the eight-car train packed with about 1,000 passengers was heading out of downtown Chicago to O’Hare when the rear car derailed, causing sparks that started a blaze under the train, officials said.
As of about 8:30 p.m., most of the injured suffered breathing problems, scrapes and bruises, but two were listed in serious and two in critical condition, hospital officials said.
The Cook County medical examiner’s officer reported no deaths as of 10 p.m. Tuesday.
"People were falling. It was really scary," said 48-year-old passenger Roger Hollis of Chicago.
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Fire Department spokesman Kevin MacGregor said CTA engineers "did an excellent job" in leading frightened passengers several hundred feet through the tunnel system to winding metal staircases to the surface on the near west side of the city.
The cause of the derailment, which occurred under the Chicago River near Clinton and Fulton streets, remained unknown as of late Tuesday night, CTA officials and emergency workers said.
"We have no indication at all that there was any foul play," Chicago Police Superintendent Phil Cline told reporters.
Still, bomb and arson squads were on the scene, he said. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Transportation Administration have been notified of the accident.
Terrorism likely was on many riders’ minds, with train bombs killing hundreds in India just this morning.
"I thought it was a terrorist attack," said Hollis, with moist soot on his face. "I thought I was going to die."
Those able to leave the train on their own were told by CTA engineers to hold hands in a line and follow each other in the thick smoke to the exits. A lot of people were crying and screaming through the rattling ordeal, said passenger Steve Clasen.
"The whole tunnel was filled with smoke,” he said.
A makeshift triage center was set up on the streets, with dozens of dazed passengers roaming around and being directed to various treatment stations. About 33 people refused treatment, officials said.
The number of injured apparently overwhelmed even the dozens of ambulances on the scene as at least one hospital reported receiving patients dropped off by CTA buses. Some suburban fire departments -- including Lisle-Woodridge and Oak Brook -- sent ambulances to Chicago to help.
The Blue Line was shut down between its Washington and Damen stations for the night. But CTA officials hoped to have partial service up by today’s morning rush. Shuttle buses have been set up to fill in the gap.
In addition to moving the wreckage, crews need to replace 200 and 300 feet of track, and 10 feet of the electrified third rail needed replacement.
rolmstead@dailyherald.com Reprinted with permission from the Daily Herald