A rider at Somerville's Davis Square MBTA station was injured Friday morning after a piece of clothing became caught in an escalator, a frightening near-repeat of the fatal accident that shook the same station this winter. The rider was taken to an area hospital with a hand injury and is expected to be OK.
The incident happened around 7 a.m. near the bottom of the escalator, according to WCVB. A fellow rider hit the emergency stop button and helped the injured person remove the trapped clothing, while Somerville Fire Department members, MBTA personnel, police and EMTs responded.
The close call landed at a station still under scrutiny after the death of Steven McCluskey. McCluskey fell at the bottom of a Davis Square escalator on Feb. 27, and his clothing became caught in the machinery; he later died, with surveillance footage showing the escalator continued running for more than 20 minutes, as reported by Boston.com.
The earlier death prompted questions about the MBTA's emergency response and escalator safety procedures. Hoodline previously covered the fallout, including scrutiny directed at the transit agency after the fatal incident.
And Davis Square is not the only local station where clothing has tangled with escalator machinery. In June, the Cambridge Fire Department said firefighters responded to another entrapment involving loose clothing caught in escalator step combs; passers-by stopped the escalator, and the person was freed without injury.
MBTA Safety Reminders After Another Close Call
The MBTA is advising riders to hold escalator handrails, avoid standing near entrances and take extra care with loose clothing, straps, backpacks, bags and luggage, according to WCVB. Strollers and wheeled mobility devices are prohibited on escalators and should be taken on the nearest elevator instead.
If clothing or a bag begins to catch, riders should press the red emergency stop button at the top or bottom of the escalator and call 911 or notify MBTA staff. On Friday, that basic intervention came from a fellow rider who stopped the machinery and helped prevent a much worse outcome.
