New Surveillance Video Shows Chicago Train Derailment

The train operator told investigators she fell asleep at the controls.

ByABC News
March 26, 2014, 2:40 PM

March 26, 2013 -- A video briefly posted on YouTube appears to show the moment of impact when a commuter train crashed at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, injuring 32 people.

The video, which appears to be from one of the airport's surveillance cameras, shows the train crashing onto an escalator early Monday as it speeds past the track.

At least two bystanders are seen in the video running out of the way of train's way.

The video was briefly posted Tuesday night on YouTube and then resurfaced today on Reddit. Officials have not said if the video came from one of the at least 40 surveillance cameras at the CTA's Blue Line O'Hare Airport station, according to local ABC affiliate WLS-TV.

The train operator told NTSB investigators today that she fell asleep at the controls of the train and did not wake up until she felt the impact of the crash, WLS-TV reported.

Investigators believe the driver, who was not identified, kept pressure on the power handle prior to and during the crash.

NTSB officials have said the eight-car train was going 25 or 26 miles per hour when it pulled into the station around 2:55 a.m. Monday.

The driver, who has been a train operator for 60 days, also told investigators she fell asleep while operating a train in February and overrode a station. She was admonished by CTA officials for that incident, according to WLS-TV.

Officials are now continuing the investigation by looking at the driver's work schedule and reviewing surveillance video.

Six people were seriously injured in the crash and 26 others suffered non-life threatening injuries, Chicago Fire Department Spokesman Larry Langford told ABC News.

The Chicago Tribune reports two airport workers have already filed lawsuits against the CTA, claiming negligence on the part of the agency.

ABC News' Anthony Castellano and Elara Mosquera contributed to this report.