Horrifying footage shows the moment two Lollapalooza-goers were shocked by the third rail of a Chicago train – after entering the unauthorized area to take a series of photos.
A disturbing video circulating on social media shows the pair – as well as another member of their group – sitting on tracks and attempting to take a selfie, before a male member of the party leans back and is zapped with 600 volts.
He is then seen hauling a girl next to him on top of himself as he goes rigid with pain, shocking her in the process. The incident at 7.30pm left both victims, an unnamed man and woman, hospitalized on August 5, with the former in critical condition.
Neither have been identified, but first responders who rushed to the scene, at Chicago Transit Authority’s Ridgeland Green Line station to rescue the pair said they are both in their 20s.
The two, who officials said had been making their way to the festival in Grant Park, were ultimately pulled off the rail by another member of the group, who managed to avoid being seriously electrocute but appeared to brave at least one shock while trying to rescue his companions.
In the now circulating footage, the duo are seen going limp after sitting on the dangerous, current-providing rail, through which a constant stream of voltage is funneled perpetually.
He is seen fighting through what appear to be a series of shocks himself as he struggles to heave his companions’ dead weight – eventually doing with the help of several other straphangers, apparent horrified by what they have seen.
The footage is incredibly graphic, and shows how the travelers had gone onto the tracks to take pictures, with the girl – who was also hospitalized but was said to be ‘improving’ on August 6 – at a point appearing to take a selfie.
Seconds later, the man to her right is seen succumbing to the sudden surge of electricity, violently shaking before latching onto the girl.
At this point, the pair are seen growing stiff – a common consequence of receiving such a charge, given the number usually associated with a fatal dose is around 50 volts.
As the two fall back and continue to write on the rail, the other member of the group eventually realizes what’s happening, and for roughly half a minute struggles to move his friends away from the electrified rail.
The task, however, proves Herculean given the weight of their inert bodies, spurring others to jump down and eventually move the pair.
The incident all happened within the span of a minute, at approximately 7:24pm, causing the male to go into cardiac arrest, officials from the Oak Park Fire Department who were deployed to the scene later said.
He was carted off unconscious to Loyola University Medical Center in critical condition, where he remained the next day.
The girl, meanwhile, sustained less serious injuries, officials said, and was still conscious when first responders arrived.
She was also rushed to Loyola, where the next day officials said her condition looked to be ‘improving.’
At the time, town officials aired the belief that contrary to what witnesses said at the time, she may not have been shocked while trying to assist her friend.
The footage seen circulating this week seems to substantiate this, and shows how she was stricken after her companion latched onto her after being shocked.
‘The scene was turned back over to the CTA [Chicago Transit Authority] Saturday night and trains were running again within about an hour of the OPFD response,’ fire officials further added at the time.
The male victim was listed in critical condition and the female was improving.
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Original Article
It’s “writhe,” not “write.” You wrote “… As the two fall back and continue to write on the rail, the other member …”