Raccoon hanging on for dear life rescued near CTA Red Line tracks

CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) - A raccoon perilously close to the CTA Red Line tracks at the Cermak station in Chinatown was rescued Friday morning after service was temporarily stopped.

Crews spotted “a masked bandit with four legs, AKA a raccoon,” about 8:45 a.m. on a sign over the right of way near the platform at the Cermak/Chinatown station, 138 W. Cermak Road, according to CTA spokesman Jon Kaplan.

Power was cut to the northbound tracks and Chicago Police and Animal Care and Control officers were able to remove the raccoon without incident, Kaplan said. Train service resumed about 10 minutes later.

Power was cut, and a Chicago Police and Animal Care and Control officer eventually made his way to the scene to remove the raccoon without incident. Service has since resumed.