Electric third rail shocks two Lollapalooza attendees taking selfies on Chicago train tracks

Electric third rail shocks two Lollapalooza attendees taking selfies on Chicago train tracks

Horrifying footage shows the moment two Lollapalooza-goers were shocked by the third rail of a Chicago train - after entering the unauthorized area to take a series of photos.

Disturbing video circulating on social media shows the pair - as well as another member of their group - sitting on tracks and attempting to take a selfie,  before a male member of the party leans back and is zapped with 600 volts... 

He is then seen hauling a girl next to him on top of himself as he goes rigid with pain, shocking her in the process. The incident at 7.30pm left both victims, an unnamed man and woman, hospitalized on August 5, with the former in critical condition.

Neither have been identified, but first responders who rushed to the scene, at Chicago Transit Authority's Ridgeland Green Line station to rescue the pair said they are both in their 20s.

The two, who officials said had been making their way to the festival in Grant Park, were ultimately pulled off the rail by another member of the group, who managed to avoid being seriously electrocuted, but appeared to brave at least one shock while trying to rescue his companions.

In the now circulating footage, the duo are seen going limp after sitting on the dangerous, current-providing rail, through which a constant stream of voltage is funneled perpetually. 

He is seen fighting through what appear to be a series of shocks himself as he struggles to heave his companions' dead weight - eventually doing with the help of several other straphangers, apparent horrified by what they have seen.

The footage is incredibly graphic, and shows how the travelers had gone onto the tracks to take pictures, with the girl - who was also hospitalized but was said to be 'improving' on August 6 - at a point appearing to take a selfie.

Seconds later, the man to her right is seen succumbing to the sudden surge of electricity, violently shaking before latching onto the girl.

At this point, the pair are seen growing stiff - a common consequence of receiving such a charge, given the number usually associated with a fatal dose is around 50 volts.

As the two fall back and continue to write on the rail, the other member of the group eventually realizes what's happening, and for roughly half a minute struggles to move his friends away from the electrified rail.

The task, however, proves Herculean given the weight of their inert bodies, spurring others to jump down and eventually move the pair.

The incident all happened within the span of a minute, at approximately 7:24pm, causing the male to go into cardiac arrest, officials from the Oak Park Fire Department who were deployed to the scene later said.

He was carted off unconscious to Loyola University Medical Center in critical condition, where he remained the next day.

The girl, meanwhile, sustained less serious injuries, officials said, and was still conscious when first responders arrived.

She was also rushed to Loyola, where the next day officials said her condition looked to be 'improving.'

At the time, town officials aired the belief that contrary to what witnesses said at the time, she may not have been shocked while trying to assist her friend.

The footage seen circulating this week seems to substantiate this, and shows how she was stricken after her companion latched onto her after being shocked. 

'The scene was turned back over to the CTA [Chicago Transit Authority] Saturday night and trains were running again within about an hour of the OPFD response,' fire officials further added at the time.

In an update Monday, officials from the Village of Oak Park - a suburb in Cook County adjacent to Chicago - confirmed to DailyMail.com that they are aware of the footage's existence, and that it is indeed circulating on social media.

In that offering, Oak Park Fire Department officials added that they could not provide an update on the conditions of the two people who had been hospitalized, and instead pointed to a statement offered Sunday, August 6.

'I cannot provide any update on their conditions at this time,' the spokesperson said after being asked about the current state of those stricken.

'The last update we received, which was early last week, is precisely as you indicated. 

'The male victim was listed in critical condition and the female was improving. The Village is aware of a social media post reportedly containing video of the incident. 

'We do not have any additional comment at this time.'

The harrowing footage harks back to an earlier incident in the Windy City that saw another Chicago commuter electrocuted, but saved by another straphanger who also leaped into action to rescue him while he was unconscious.

The incident happened this past summer, on the Chicago Transit Authority's sister train, the Red Line.

In that case, the heart-pounding instance was also captured on camera, and showed  20-year-old Anthony Perry dropping down to rescue the rigor mortis-afflicted individual after he was administered 600 volts. 

'The guy didn’t have no control over his body,' Perry told CBS News Chicago at the time, after selflessly jumping below to save the man’s life, risking getting shocked through the victim's stricken body in the process.

'I did hear somebody say as I got on the track, "Don’t touch him!”' he remembered, before being rewarded a car from the city for his heroics.

'I could’ve kept walking, but I was like, you know what? I’m not going to keep walking because God wouldn’t want me to do that so I took action immediately.'

In that case, the man who was electrified also sustained serious injuries, but eventually recovered. 

As for the recent incident, DailyMail.com has asked local fire officials to provide any updates. As of Monday afternoon, the duo's identity has yet to be released.

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