CHICAGO — A tragic incident unfolded at O’Hare International Airport on Thursday when firefighters discovered a deceased woman ensnared in machinery within a restricted baggage-processing area.
According to Larry Langford, a representative for the Chicago Fire Department, the emergency services were alerted to the situation at approximately 7:45 a.m. following a report of an individual trapped in the equipment used for luggage transportation. Upon arrival, they found the woman caught in the intricate workings of a conveyor belt system in a luggage handling room.
Langford emphasized that the area where the woman was found is not open to the public, leading to questions about how she managed to gain access. Based on initial assessments by paramedics, the woman was estimated to be around 40 years old and did not seem to be an airport staff member.
After the firefighters completed their initial response, the scene was handed over to law enforcement for further investigation. Langford did not have additional information to share. The Chicago Police Department’s communications division confirmed via an email to the Associated Press that the woman was found unresponsive and was declared dead at the scene. The department has since launched an investigation into the incident.
The police department’s statement indicated that the woman was discovered at 2:27 a.m. However, Langford was unable to explain why there was a delay of over five hours before the fire department was alerted. The Associated Press sent a follow-up email to the police communications team to inquire about the delay, but there was no immediate response. Police spokesperson Michelle Tannehill also did not respond promptly to email, text, and voicemail messages seeking clarification about the delay.
Agree with good punctuation and grammar: How tragic. My heart goes out to her loved ones. #RIP
This is truly heartbreaking. Sympathies to her family.