Family of man slowly killed by escalator slam passersby – ‘nobody cared’
Dad-of-two Steven McCluskey died in the freak accident, when he tripped over on the escalator and his coat got stuck and sucked into the machinery
The dad-of-two died after the incident
The family of a man who was left to die on an escalator have slammed those who walked by him in distress and did nothing to help. Dad-of-two Steven McCluskey died in the freak accident, when he tripped over on the escalator and his coat got stuck and sucked into the machinery.
He tried to free himself from his coat, but struggled, and passers by did nothing to help – despite seeing him in distress. The horror incident was captured on CCTV and showed a number of people walking past him without stopping to help.
McCluskey, a carpenter, lost his balance going down the escalator at Davis Station in Somerville on February 27 just before 5am but onlookers were not overly bothered about his distress as he tried to free himself. CCTV footage released showed that more than a dozen people walked by McCluskey as he struggled, with one even watching for several moments before simply turning around and heading the other way.
He was eventually helped by staff, who called the paramedics. They arrived and managed to get him breathing again, and took him to hospital – but he later died form his injuries just days later.
Now his heartbroken family have publicly slammed all of those who did not step in to try and save his life. “He was a somebody. He had a life. We loved him. They treated him like he didn’t exist,” Mary Flaherty, McCluskey’s mother, told NBC10 Boston after viewing the footage.
“Nobody cared. Nobody stopped. Nobody took the time to help, to make sure that he was OK. If somebody took that minute, he would be here today.”
The general manager of the station where the incident happened also called it a tragedy that no one came to his aid in time.
General Manager Phil Eng said: “Obviously, this is a tragedy. Safety, reliability of the system, is paramount. We certainly understand that this was an unfortunate incident for this gentleman, and his passing is something that is very disheartening.”
Eng said the agency reviewed the circumstances of the deadly incident. After the rescue inside the T station, he said workers inspected the escalator and returned it to service without any mechanical issues.
When asked if there should be more staff at the station, Eng said that still wouldn’t guarantee an employee would be near the escalator at that moment.
“This is where we need the public to support us,” Eng said. “Help one another. Speak up. Let us know, alert us to it. That’s the way we can not only make sure riders are safe, but one day, you might need that help.”
