A father of two has tragically died following a freak escalator accident at a Boston subway station, with surveillance footage revealing that more than a dozen commuters walked past him without offering assistance.
Details of the Incident
Steven McCluskey, 40, lost his balance while descending the escalator at Davis Station shortly before 5 a.m. on February 27. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) released shocking video on Tuesday showing McCluskey struggling as his coat became caught in the machinery at the bottom of the escalator.
In the footage, one individual is seen observing him for several seconds before turning away and heading in the opposite direction. McCluskey attempted to free himself by unzipping his coat but was unsuccessful. As the fabric tightened around his neck, he struggled to breathe, eventually collapsing and remaining motionless on the stairway.
Response and Rescue Efforts
Approximately 20 minutes later, an MBTA employee arrived and stopped the escalator. Medics soon followed, according to the Boston Globe. Somerville police reported that McCluskey was “pinned at the bottom of the escalator,” unresponsive, bare-chested, and with his clothing tightly lodged within the escalator steps. Officers detected no pulse. Firefighters later discovered that some of the skin on McCluskey’s back had been sucked into the machine, leading them to consider dismantling the escalator to free him.
Family and Aftermath
McCluskey, a carpenter by trade, was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he remained in a coma for 10 days before succumbing to his injuries on March 9. His obituary described him as a devoted father to his two young sons, Shayne and Steven. “He loved creating things and took satisfaction in seeing a job through from start to finish. Above all, he loved being a father,” it read.
His sister disclosed to NBC Boston that McCluskey had battled drug addiction in recent years but emphasized, “He did his best every single day to show up for the people that he loved in the ways that he could.” The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office is conducting an investigation, and McCluskey’s family has called on the MBTA to “take accountability” for his death.
