Taking a Quick Break
CTA Train Derails Underground
Hundreds Evacuated After Smoke Fills Subway
POSTED: 5:15 pm CDT July 11, 2006
UPDATED: 7:16 pm CDT July 11, 2006
Chicago Transit Authority officials say a train derailed underground near the Loop on Tuesday evening, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of passengers.
"The underside of the car actually caught fire," Kruesi said, adding that the fire damaged the tracks, the third rail and signals.
Fire crews from the city and suburbs are responding to the scene at this hour.
A triage center was set up at the intersection of Clinton Street and Milwaukee Avenue. At least 76 people have been transported from the scene in ambulances. Most were in yellow or fair condition, but one was in red or serious condition.
Hospitals that have taken in victims include Stroger, Mercy, Northwestern and Rush.
Passengers were evacuated from underground near Clinton and Fulton.
A woman who was evacuated described what happened.
"I boarded the train at 5:10, and we made it here to Clark and Lake," the woman said. She said the power went out on the train, and CTA officials told passengers to evacuate to the platform.
"They didn't tell us exactly that there was a fire or anything, they just said we had a delay due to an emergency on the tracks ahead of us," she said.
"We just didn't know what was going on. The smoke was getting thicker, so we didn't know which way to go. It was really dark." The woman said she smelled smoke underground but did not see any fire.
The woman said her daughter, who was on a train ahead of her, had to walk out on the tracks and suffered smoke inhalation.
NBC5's Phil Rogers reported that he saw at least four or five people were transported to the hospital from the Fulton Street and Milwaukee Avenue evacuation spot.
One woman on the train told Rogers what she witnessed.
"There was an explosion -- some people said they heard an explosion, and there were, like, really strange sounds and the El stopped and then there was just smoke pouring into it," said one woman. "So, we opened the doors and we couldn't see anything. There was just smoke and we were just walking, hoping that someone knew where to go.
"I think there was the car driver, in the lead of us, who was just directing us and we were just walking, trying to get out," she said. "I heard something -- I don't know if it was an explosion. I heard something that sounded like something skidding, almost, but it was really loud."
"We just didn't know what was going on. The smoke was getting thicker, so we didn't know which way to go. It was really dark," she said.
Commuters Struggle To Find Ways Home
NBC5's Charlie Wojciechowski reported that some commuters were frustrated by the wait they had to endure for a shuttle bus, and said they have not received enough information from CTA personnel.
"We're right here, there's no shuttle buses, there's no buses, there's nothing," one woman said.
"My friend and I are trying to get to the Western stop off of the Forest Park line," said another commuter. "We're waiting for a shuttle with 30 other annoyed people and it's taking forever. We've been waiting 15 to 20 minutes. We were over at Clark and Lake, and we're standing there, and then they moved the people going to O'Hare, so we thought we were going to wait there, then they moved us again to Wells, and nothing has come. The one guy who came by who looked remotely like he knew what was going on, when we approached him, walked away."
NBC5 producer Katy Moore arrived at the scene on her way home from work.
"They were telling people to get out, so I must have arrived just after it happened," Moore said. "Most people were pretty anxious ... and just moving around and nervous, and it turned to frustration and anger as they tried to figure out how they were going to get home."
Moore said it took about 30 minutes before she saw a CTA official directing commuters to a bus that could take them home.
NBC5's Mike Lorber reported that there is no Blue Line service between LaSalle downtown and Damen. The CTA is running shuttle buses around the area.
Several streets have been closed in the area, including Clinton between Kinsey and Lake, and Milwaukee between Halsted and Grand.
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This definitely makes for an interesting (and long) shift. Mainly because I'm working the ER tonight for the first time in a very long time.
Most of what we're dealing with is smoke inhalation and chemical irritations. The few criticals were taken to Mercy.
Hundreds Evacuated After Smoke Fills Subway
POSTED: 5:15 pm CDT July 11, 2006
UPDATED: 7:16 pm CDT July 11, 2006
Chicago Transit Authority officials say a train derailed underground near the Loop on Tuesday evening, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of passengers.
"The underside of the car actually caught fire," Kruesi said, adding that the fire damaged the tracks, the third rail and signals.
Fire crews from the city and suburbs are responding to the scene at this hour.
A triage center was set up at the intersection of Clinton Street and Milwaukee Avenue. At least 76 people have been transported from the scene in ambulances. Most were in yellow or fair condition, but one was in red or serious condition.
Hospitals that have taken in victims include Stroger, Mercy, Northwestern and Rush.
Passengers were evacuated from underground near Clinton and Fulton.
A woman who was evacuated described what happened.
"I boarded the train at 5:10, and we made it here to Clark and Lake," the woman said. She said the power went out on the train, and CTA officials told passengers to evacuate to the platform.
"They didn't tell us exactly that there was a fire or anything, they just said we had a delay due to an emergency on the tracks ahead of us," she said.
"We just didn't know what was going on. The smoke was getting thicker, so we didn't know which way to go. It was really dark." The woman said she smelled smoke underground but did not see any fire.
The woman said her daughter, who was on a train ahead of her, had to walk out on the tracks and suffered smoke inhalation.
NBC5's Phil Rogers reported that he saw at least four or five people were transported to the hospital from the Fulton Street and Milwaukee Avenue evacuation spot.
One woman on the train told Rogers what she witnessed.
"There was an explosion -- some people said they heard an explosion, and there were, like, really strange sounds and the El stopped and then there was just smoke pouring into it," said one woman. "So, we opened the doors and we couldn't see anything. There was just smoke and we were just walking, hoping that someone knew where to go.
"I think there was the car driver, in the lead of us, who was just directing us and we were just walking, trying to get out," she said. "I heard something -- I don't know if it was an explosion. I heard something that sounded like something skidding, almost, but it was really loud."
"We just didn't know what was going on. The smoke was getting thicker, so we didn't know which way to go. It was really dark," she said.
Commuters Struggle To Find Ways Home
NBC5's Charlie Wojciechowski reported that some commuters were frustrated by the wait they had to endure for a shuttle bus, and said they have not received enough information from CTA personnel.
"We're right here, there's no shuttle buses, there's no buses, there's nothing," one woman said.
"My friend and I are trying to get to the Western stop off of the Forest Park line," said another commuter. "We're waiting for a shuttle with 30 other annoyed people and it's taking forever. We've been waiting 15 to 20 minutes. We were over at Clark and Lake, and we're standing there, and then they moved the people going to O'Hare, so we thought we were going to wait there, then they moved us again to Wells, and nothing has come. The one guy who came by who looked remotely like he knew what was going on, when we approached him, walked away."
NBC5 producer Katy Moore arrived at the scene on her way home from work.
"They were telling people to get out, so I must have arrived just after it happened," Moore said. "Most people were pretty anxious ... and just moving around and nervous, and it turned to frustration and anger as they tried to figure out how they were going to get home."
Moore said it took about 30 minutes before she saw a CTA official directing commuters to a bus that could take them home.
NBC5's Mike Lorber reported that there is no Blue Line service between LaSalle downtown and Damen. The CTA is running shuttle buses around the area.
Several streets have been closed in the area, including Clinton between Kinsey and Lake, and Milwaukee between Halsted and Grand.
**********
This definitely makes for an interesting (and long) shift. Mainly because I'm working the ER tonight for the first time in a very long time.
Most of what we're dealing with is smoke inhalation and chemical irritations. The few criticals were taken to Mercy.