Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
At Least 4 Dead After Stampede in Chicago Nightclub
Aired February 17, 2003 - 06:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Some breaking news to tell you about now. At least four people are dead after a stampede in a Chicago nightclub.
WBBM's Chris Hernandez joins us live with more on this story -- what happened?
CHRIS HERNANDEZ, WBBM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Good morning, Carol.
It's a pretty horrific scene here. Apparently there was a fight that led to a panic and a rush towards the exit. We have been told by authorities that at least four were dead here on the scene. But sources at the hospitals around Chicago have been adding up the numbers and there could be, could be as many as 20 people dead, 19 others in critical condition right now.
The nightclub is called E2. It's on the near South Side of Chicago, just south of The Loop area. It's a dance club. It was open and there were hundreds of people inside around three o'clock this morning when this all started. That's three o'clock Central Time.
People who were inside the club tell us that there was apparently some sort of fight between a couple of patrons and at some point the security guards got involved and started spraying mace and that spread throughout the crowd. People started choking on it, started rushing for the exits. Some people couldn't find the exits. They were opening doors and it turned out to be broom closets. Others say that there was only one way down from the second level down to the first, and that contributed to the problem.
Firefighters tell us that they were pulling people out of stairwells who had been trampled and landed at the bottom of stairwells. Other people had cardiac arrest and they were being treated for bruises over their entire bodies. A horrific scene here in Chicago this morning. They are still adding up the deaths and injuries -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Unbelievable.
Chris Hernandez, thanks for bringing us up to date. We appreciate it. And we know how cold it is in Chicago this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 17, 2003 - 06:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Some breaking news to tell you about now. At least four people are dead after a stampede in a Chicago nightclub.
WBBM's Chris Hernandez joins us live with more on this story -- what happened?
CHRIS HERNANDEZ, WBBM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Good morning, Carol.
It's a pretty horrific scene here. Apparently there was a fight that led to a panic and a rush towards the exit. We have been told by authorities that at least four were dead here on the scene. But sources at the hospitals around Chicago have been adding up the numbers and there could be, could be as many as 20 people dead, 19 others in critical condition right now.
The nightclub is called E2. It's on the near South Side of Chicago, just south of The Loop area. It's a dance club. It was open and there were hundreds of people inside around three o'clock this morning when this all started. That's three o'clock Central Time.
People who were inside the club tell us that there was apparently some sort of fight between a couple of patrons and at some point the security guards got involved and started spraying mace and that spread throughout the crowd. People started choking on it, started rushing for the exits. Some people couldn't find the exits. They were opening doors and it turned out to be broom closets. Others say that there was only one way down from the second level down to the first, and that contributed to the problem.
Firefighters tell us that they were pulling people out of stairwells who had been trampled and landed at the bottom of stairwells. Other people had cardiac arrest and they were being treated for bruises over their entire bodies. A horrific scene here in Chicago this morning. They are still adding up the deaths and injuries -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Unbelievable.
Chris Hernandez, thanks for bringing us up to date. We appreciate it. And we know how cold it is in Chicago this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
