Woman dies at Chicago's O'Hare Airport after getting caught in baggage carousel in restricted area

Officials said woman was found entangled in the conveyor belt system used to move baggage

An investigation is ongoing after a woman was killed in a freak accident involving a baggage carousel inside a restricted area of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

Around 7:45 a.m. Thursday, an airport employee was inspecting a baggage handling area in Terminal 5 when the dead woman was found, Fox 32 reported.

The woman, who investigators believe is 57, reportedly entered the restricted area just before 2:30 a.m. and was wearing flip-flops. She was found entangled in the conveyor belt system used to move baggage, according to the fire department.

Security footage only captured her walking into the area but did not show how she died, according to The Associated Press.  

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Firefighters found a dead woman entangled in machinery Thursday in a non-public baggage-processing area at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. (FOX 32 Chicago)

The woman was pronounced dead at the airport.  

Police and fire crews responded and noted that while the area is not highly secured, passengers are not supposed to be there.

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Travelers walk to gates at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. A woman died after she got caught up in a baggage carousel. (iStock)

Chicago Police are investigating the incident.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office has not yet released the identity of the woman or her cause of death. 

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It's unclear how or why the woman entered the restricted area. (Andrew Woodley/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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It is unclear why the woman was at the airport, but authorities told Fox 32 they do not believe the woman was an airport employee.

Fox News Digital reached out to Chicago Police and the Chicago Fire Department for comment about the incident but have not yet heard back. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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