Woman caught on camera sneaking into staff area before getting trapped in conveyor belt at Chicago O’Hare airport

A WOMAN found fatally entangled in machinery at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport was previously caught on camera sneaking into an off-limits area.

The 57-year-old was discovered dead by the city’s fire department hours after she appeared to enter an employee-only area of the site on Thursday.

Alamy

Alamy

Authorities confirmed the woman was not a worker at the airport but remained unaware as to how she entered the restricted zone.

They also established that she had been at O’Hare overnight.

Chicago police stated she was caught on video going into the staff area at around 2:30 am, according to ABC affiliate WLS-TV .

The unnamed woman was found in a horrifying state at around 7:45 am.

Chicago firefighters revealed they had responded to reports of a woman “pinned in machinery” at the airport’s Terminal 5 baggage area.

The department said the woman had become entangled in the conveyor belt system used to transport bags across the airport.

This horrifying incident occurred in the area where luggage is transported from international flights to the customs inspection zone.

It was also confirmed she had not been in a high-risk area.

Paramedics had pronounced her dead on site.

Chicago Police are treating this incident as a death investigation.

Officials with the Chicago Fire Department had called this a “crime scene,” according to WLS-TV.

Police have not confirmed whether they have been able to track her movements between 2:30 am and 7:45 am.

AIRPORT DEATHS

This woman has not been the only tragic case to hit airports this year, The U.S. Sun has previously reported.

A person was killed after they were pulled into a plane engine’s jet turbine .

Airport Tragedies

The U.S. Sun has previouly reported on multiple horrific airport tragedies.

February 2022- A man who helped with ground handling and cargo for major airlines was crushed to death by a 20-ton pallet at London Heathrow’s Terminal 3.

May 2024- A man was sucked into a Cityhopper Embraer E190 engine at Amsterdam airport.

June 2024- An American tourist died on a Fiji Airlines flight to San Fransico after falling sick on the plane.

July 2025- A British tourist died at Reus Airport in Spain after collapsing in the boarding area before getting on a Ryanair flight home.

July 2024- A Virgin Australia passenger died in front of passengers before landing in Melbourne.

The terrifying incident happened in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with officials unable to identify the gender of the victim.

A witness told the Dutch outlet De Telegraaf they heard a “hellish noise.”

This person then recalled seeing plumes of smoke coming from the aircraft.

In another tragic accident, a young worker was killed when she was caught in a conveyor belt at work after she attempted to retrieve her dropped AirPod.

Alyssa Drinkard, 21, died at a Club Car manufacturing facility in Georgia .

First responders had to cut the machine open after she became caught.