Man dies after falling onto CTA tracks at Red Line Harrison stop

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man waiting for a train at the CTA Red Line Harrison station died after police said he fell onto the tracks.

Officers responded to a call about an unauthorized person on the tracks near Harrison just after 12:30 a.m. Monday.

They found a man in his 50s unresponsive on the southbound tracks. Witnesses told police that he was playing with a beach ball while he waited for a train and it fell onto the tracks.

Police said he went after the ball and was electrocuted when he touched the third rail, which supplies power to the trains and carries hundreds of volts of electricity.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. He has not been identified.

Red Line trains bypassed Harrison for about three hours while police conducted their death investigation. It was back on track before the morning rush.

Area Central detectives are investigating. They said the death was an accident and no foul play is suspected.