[1] The resulting explosion killed 34 people and injured 50 others, remaining one of the most deadly public transit disasters in Chicago history.

[3] The streetcar was headed south on State Street but suddenly switched eastbound to avoid a flooded underpass.

[3] Fourteen-year-old Beverley Clark was alone as a passenger on the tram at the time of the collision and managed to open the center door using the emergency handle, saving several people from the inferno.

[6][8] William C. Liddell, the streetcar conductor, disappeared after the crash but was arrested the day after, charged with leaving the scene of the accident.

Among them were the addition of drainage systems for frequently flooded underpasses so operators would not have to detour, two yearly physical examinations of motormen, and streetcar doors that could remain open in case of an emergency to allow for evacuation.