Death of man found dead in Red Line ventilation shaft was an overdose, medical examiner says

The man who was found dead in a ventilation shaft at the Chicago Red Line station this spring died from a combination of drugs and alcohol, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Authorities halted Red Line service for almost two hours on the afternoon of April 5 after the man was found inside a vent in a restricted area of the station at 800 North State Street.

Police launched a death investigation, and the medical examiner’s office conducted an autopsy. According to the medical examiner’s office, tests revealed the 34-year-old died from a combination of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and alcohol intake. His death was ruled an accident.

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