A tragic incident has claimed the life of a 40-year-old carpenter and father of two, as he suffered a fatal accident on an escalator while bystanders failed to offer assistance.
Steven McCluskey encountered the misfortune at Davis Station in Somerville on the early morning of February 27. As he descended the escalator just before 5 a.m., he lost his balance in a devastating turn of events.
Surveillance footage, released by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) on Tuesday, reveals the disconcerting scene where more than a dozen individuals passed by McCluskey without intervening in his moment of need.
In a particularly unsettling moment, one observer paused briefly to watch McCluskey’s struggle before turning away and continuing in the opposite direction.
The incident unfolded when McCluskey stumbled at the base of the escalator, becoming entangled as his coat snagged in the machinery. Despite his efforts to free himself by unzipping his coat, he was unable to escape.
McCluskey appeared to struggle at the bottom, attempting to unzip his coat and wiggle himself free, to no avail.
As his clothing lodged deeper into the machinery, the fabric tightened around his neck, constricting his airway.
After a few moments, he collapsed, motionless on the stairway.
Steven McCluskey lost his balance at the foot of an escalator at a Boston subway station. More than a dozen people walked past him as he lay dying
Paramedics are seen working on McCluskey. He was killed after the escalator pulled a piece of clothing around his neck and strangled him
After more than 20 minutes, an employee arrived and stopped the escalator. Medics showed up a few moments later, reported the Boston Globe.
Somerville police reported that the man was ‘pinned at the bottom of the escalator.’
According to their report, he was ‘unresponsive, bare-chested and his clothing was tightly lodged within the escalator steps.’
‘I immediately assessed McCluskey for a pulse and detected none,’ the report said.
Somerville firefighters administered a dose of Narcan and medics issued several rounds of CPR before McCluskey began breathing again.
McCluskey’s sister, Shannon Flaherty, told NBC Boston that her brother had struggled with drug addiction in recent years.
‘He did his best every single day to show up for the people that he loved in the ways that he could,’ she said.
McCluskey was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was in a coma for ten days before succumbing to his injuries on March 9.
According to his obituary, McCluskey was the father of two young boys and a hard-working carpenter.
Steven McCluskey, 40, died after being caught in a Boston escalator as dozens of people walked by
According to loved ones, McCluskey ‘loved being a father to his two sons, Shayne and Steven’
‘He loved creating things and took satisfaction in seeing a job through from start to finish,’ it said. ‘Above all, he loved being a father to his two sons, Shayne and Steven, who meant the world to him.’
McCluskey had six siblings, two of whom predeceased him.
The MBTA called McCluskey’s death a ‘terrible accident’ and encouraged riders to help if they see someone in trouble.
‘It is important that the public knows that anyone can stop an escalator in an emergency by pressing the red button labeled “STOP” at the top and bottom of each escalator,’ read their statement.
‘They should also then immediately call 911. MBTA personnel respond swiftly to all emergencies and do everything they can to assist individuals and secure the situation.’
McCluskey was the father of two young boys and an avid carpenter
The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office will continue to investigate McCluskey’s cause and manner of death.
McCluskey’s family has encouraged the MBTA to ‘take accountability’ for his death.
‘And be able to state that they failed him, rather than being able to say the MBTA did nothing wrong,’ Shannon said. ‘That’s the main thing I don’t want.’
The Daily Mail contacted the MBTA and the Somerville Fire Department for more information.
