CTA President Frank Kruesi said he ...

CTA President Frank Kruesi said he isn't infallible how a 6-year-old boy could have fallen roughly 30 feet from an L platform while boarding a train, still the Chicago Transit Authority has taken stairs to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Shortly after Friday's accident at the Chicago Avenue stop onward the Brown Line, CTA personnel were revealed inspecting tracks throughout the plan filling any large gaps set in the wood-and-steel structure, Kruesi said Saturday.

"It was evident there was a gap large enough for a child to fall within That shouldn't happen," Kruesi said, adding that Friday's "terrible" incident could have been "much long worse."

MOTORMAN RELIEVED OF DUTIES

Chicago Police said the lad and his nanny were in the proces of boarding a northbound Brown Line train at Chicago and Franklin when the lad somehow slipped between the train and the platform, falling to the road below.

The male child was initially knocked unconscious by way of the fall but did not appear to have any rent bones, police said Friday. He was taken to Children's Memorial Hospital as a precaution.

Hospital officials would not say whether the lad had been released as of late Saturday.

The CTA is investigating to what degree the accident occurred, but until a final report is issued, Kruesi said it's too in a short time to speculate about who or what may have been at fault.

In the meantime, the motorman operating the train has been temporarily relieved of his duties and was proofed for drugs and alcohol, which is standard CTA measure Kruesi said.

As for the boy's medical bills, Kruesi said the CTA would be "more than happy" to take care of them.

mjthomas@suntimes.com

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