Normal Red Line service resumes after reroute due to person on tracks

CHICAGO (WLS) -- CTA Red Line train service was briefly rerouted Friday when a person went onto the tracks, the transit agency said.

Red Line subway trains were rerouted to the elevated tracks between Fullerton and Cermak-Chinatown at about 5:45 p.m. as authorities worked to get the person safely off the tracks. The person was off the tracks shortly after 6 p.m., according to the Chicago Fire Department, and normal Red Line service resumed.

Authorities did not provide any identifying information about the person on the tracks. It's unclear whether the person got onto the tracks intentionally or accidentally.

A woman was killed late last month after she went onto the tracks at the 69th Street station to retrieve her phone, which she had dropped on the tracks.

CTA officials said no CTA customer should ever go onto CTA rail tracks, whether to retrieve an item or assist a person.

If necessary, customers should press CTA's emergency call buttons, which are found at all CTA rail stations. This notifies the customer service assistant or security guard that there is a problem. Those employees are equipped with radios and have direct radio access to the CTA Control Center, which can stop a train or cut power within seconds.