Person in custody after woman set on fire on CTA train in Chicago’s Loop

A person was in custody Tuesday after a woman was set on fire while riding a CTA Blue Line in Chicago’s Loop the night before.

The woman remained in the hospital late Tuesday afternoon.

According to Chicago police, the 26-year-old woman got into a quarrel with a 45-year-old man while on a train at the Clark/Lake subway station around 9:25 p.m. Police said the fight escalated when the man poured a liquid on the woman and set her on fire.

Sources said the liquid the man poured was gasoline.

Police said the woman ran off the train and collapsed on the platform.

“She was running off the train towards the middle of it, completely engulfed in fire,” said witness Christopher Flores.

A witness told CBS News Chicago they saw the victim jump off the train and bystanders come to her aid.

“I went over to see what’s going on, said Flores. “She’s on the ground crying. Burnt to a crisp.”

The woman was no longer on fire when first responders arrived at the scene. But suffered severe burns, and she was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County in critical condition.

Sources said more than half her body was burned. CBS Chicago obtained video of the aftermath, which shows a woman with significant burns on her head. 

The incident was tremendously concerning for Chicago Transit Authority train riders.

“The Fire Department showed up and we smelt a strong burning smell,” said Blue Line rider Wyatt Wykoff.

Police said a person was taken into custody after the attack. The person’s identity is unknown at this time. An arson investigation is ongoing. 

How is the CTA responding to this incident and addressing obvious safety concerns in its wake? CBS News Chicago first started contacting the CTA Monday night, an an interview request declined on Tuesday.

Instead, officials issued a statement Tuesday afternoon: “The CTA has been working closely with the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the Public Transportation Unit detectives embedded at the Strategic Decision Support Center (SDSC) dedicated to CTA, to support their investigation and ensure the offender is quickly apprehended. 

There were no answers to CBS News Chicago’s other questions.

CBS News Chicago has visited the Strategic Decision Support Center that Chicago police have dedicated to safety on the CTA. Detectives and analysts work at that center to monitor about 40,000 CTA cameras 24/7, every day of the year.

CBS News Chicago took a closer look at violent crime on the CTA system this year and found more than 230 aggravated batteries reported — more than have been seen in the past 10 years.

Overall, violent crime is down this year in Chicago compared to last. 

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