Surveillance footage recently made public captures the tragic final moments of a young father of two, who became fatally trapped in an escalator just outside of Boston, as commuters passed by seemingly unaware of his distress.
Steven McCluskey, while taking an escalator down at the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority’s Davis Station in Somerville, Massachusetts, lost his balance and fell at the base of the moving stairs shortly before 5 a.m. on February 27, as reported by NBC10 Boston.
The video evidence revealed that McCluskey’s clothing became ensnared in the machinery of the escalator.
The 57-minute video, acquired by the news outlet, depicts the 40-year-old struggling to free himself as his legs flailed against the moving stairway. During this ordeal, only one passerby made a brief attempt to assist him before walking away.
As the struggle continued, McCluskey eventually lay still, motionless on his back, with one hand extended above his head, the footage detailed.
Throughout this distressing incident, approximately a dozen individuals are seen passing by. Some paused momentarily to glance at McCluskey, while others appeared to scarcely notice, according to the video.
It took 18 minutes for someone passing by to call 911, according to a 911 call obtained by the outlet.
A few minutes later, an MBTA employee appeared at the bottom of the escalator and finally engaged the emergency stop button.
The footage shows it took more than 22 minutes for a MBTA to make contact with McCluskey, a response time that experts say is not good enough.
“That’s way too long” escalator expert Robert Cotton told NBC10.
Cotton, who has more than four decades worth of experience overseeing escalator infrastructure including for Bay Area Rapid Transit in California, said that transit agencies are subject to “common carrier,” which is the highest standard of care for the public utilizing transit systems.
“[The MBTA] breached that duty. If somebody had knowledge of it, that should’ve been acted upon it immediately,” Cotton said.
McCluskey had no pulse by the time first responders arrived, and his clothes were pulled so tight into the escalator, his throat was constricted, according to the Somerville Fire Department report obtained by NBC10.
The skin on McCluskey’s back had also been pulled into the escalator.
Rescuers were able to free McCluskey in about 30 minutes and he regained a pulse but was then taken to the hospital in critical condition and later fell into a coma. McCluskey died 10 days later.
According to his obituary, McCluskey, a carpenter who ran his own business, “was known for his stubborn spirit, quick sense of humor, and deeply caring heart.”
“He had a way of talking with people for hours, sharing stories, offering advice, and helping however he could. If something needed fixing or someone needed support, Steven was often the person people turned to,” the obituary read.
An investigation into McCluskey’s death is ongoing, a spokesperson for the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office confirmed to the outlet.
The MBTA called McCluskey’s death a “terrible accident,” noting anyone can stop an escalator by using the red emergency buttons.
“MBTA personnel respond swiftly to all emergencies and do everything they can to assist individuals and secure the situation,” MBTA said in a statement to NBC 10.
Watching the traumatic footage was difficult for McCluskey’s family but they are searching for answers from the MBTA.
“I want to make sure that there’s somebody or something held accountable for the fact that my brother wasn’t protected in a public space,” McCluskey’s sister, Shannon Flaherty told NBC10.
“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,” his mother, Mary Flaherty said with tears in her eyes.
“He was a somebody. He had a life. We loved him. They treated him like he didn’t exist,” the grieving mother said.
The MBTA did not immediately return The Post’s message seeking comment.
