CHICAGO (WLS) — A man is facing charges for allegedly setting a fire on a CTA train on the city’s Northwest Side on Friday morning, Chicago police said.
Police said it happened near the CTA Blue Line’s Damen Avenue stop in the Wicker Park neighborhood just after 6 a.m.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
Jesus Martinez, a 52-year-old Northlake man, intentionally lit his belongings on fire, causing burns to his leg, police said.
Police said the fire was extinguished, and Martinez was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agents took him into custody.
Martinez has been charged with felony Aggravated Arson/Know Person Present and felony Criminal Damage/Government Property greater than $500 to $10,000, police confirmed on Sunday.
SEE ALSO | Man accused in Blue Line fire attack facing new arson charges in separate blaze at City Hall
No other injuries were reported, police said, but the incident caused extensive delays for Blue Line riders.
Friday morning’s fiery incident happened on the same day CTA officials planned to bolster their police presence at stations and stops across the city after submitting a safety plan to the federal government.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.
INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.