Photo: Twitter / Kevin Klauer
Here’s something you don’t see that often, and praise the Powers That Be for it. A driverless, out of control catering cart went crazy on the tarmac at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport and nearly caused some serious damage plus injuries.
Video of the incident was captured by Kevin Klauer, Chief Executive of the American Osteopathic Association, and uploaded to social media. It shows the exact moment when the catering cart is spinning towards a parked airplane but also the swift and very smart intervention of a ground crew member.
The video, which is also available at the bottom of the page, begins as the cart is already in motion. It’s spinning in circles and losing its cargo of beverages, as ground crew are looking on, unsure as to how they might stop it. One of the men is sitting on the tarmac and another goes up to him and helps him up. Presumably, he was hit by the cart.
Then, as the cart nears the plane, another crew member runs out of the frame and returns at the wheel of another, smaller cart, which he proceeds to slam into the rogue one. He doesn’t just slam into it: he keeps going forward until the out of control cart is overturned and stopped in its path of destruction.
The Washington Post reached out to the Chicago Department of Aviation for a comment on the incident, and was put into contact with American Airlines, who operates the cart. They say no one was injured, despite the impression you might get from the video.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the accelerator became stuck and caused the catering cart to lose control,” the airline says in a statement. “No American Airlines team members were injured and the incident resulted in one 10 minute flight delay. We appreciate the quick action of our team member who stopped the vehicle.”
Ground crew member, not Batman, is the hero we all need but don’t deserve.
The video, which is also available at the bottom of the page, begins as the cart is already in motion. It’s spinning in circles and losing its cargo of beverages, as ground crew are looking on, unsure as to how they might stop it. One of the men is sitting on the tarmac and another goes up to him and helps him up. Presumably, he was hit by the cart.
Then, as the cart nears the plane, another crew member runs out of the frame and returns at the wheel of another, smaller cart, which he proceeds to slam into the rogue one. He doesn’t just slam into it: he keeps going forward until the out of control cart is overturned and stopped in its path of destruction.
The Washington Post reached out to the Chicago Department of Aviation for a comment on the incident, and was put into contact with American Airlines, who operates the cart. They say no one was injured, despite the impression you might get from the video.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the accelerator became stuck and caused the catering cart to lose control,” the airline says in a statement. “No American Airlines team members were injured and the incident resulted in one 10 minute flight delay. We appreciate the quick action of our team member who stopped the vehicle.”
Ground crew member, not Batman, is the hero we all need but don’t deserve.
Crazy event at ORD. Heads up safety move by a ramp worker! pic.twitter.com/SQi5zB0Ooz
— Kevin Klauer DO, EJD (@Emergidoc) September 30, 2019
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