Massachusetts dad dies after getting stuck in escalator as passers-by refuse to render aid

40-year-old Steven McCluskey was fatally injured after getting stuck at the MBTA’s Davis Station in Somerville on February 27 at around 5 am. McCluskey appeared to have lost his balance and fallen at the bottom of the escalator, causing his clothing to become caught.

Surveillance footage obtained by NBC 10 Boston showed the man attempting to free himself as his legs moved frantically. One bystander briefly tried to help him before walking away.

The video showed McCluskey continued to struggle until he became motionless. Roughly a dozen people walked past him, some glancing briefly and others appearing not to notice him at all. 18 minutes passed until someone called 911.

Moments later, an MBTA employee arrived and pressed the emergency stop button on the escalator. It took the employee a total of 22 minutes to make contact with him.

“[The MBTA] breached that duty. If somebody had knowledge of it, that should’ve been acted upon it immediately,” said escalator expert Robert Cotton, according to NBC 10.

When first responders arrived, McCuskey had no pulse, and his throat was constricted because of how tightly his clothes were pulled into the escalator. The skin on his back was also pulled in.

Rescuers took 30 minutes to free him, and he regained a pulse. He was taken to the hospital and fell into a coma, dying 10 days later.

A spokesperson for the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office said an investigation is ongoing. The MBTA said the death was a “terrible accident,” adding, “MBTA personnel respond swiftly to all emergencies and do everything they can to assist individuals and secure the situation.”

MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said the man's death was a "tragedy," and that "Safety, reliability of the system, is paramount." He added that the agency reviewed the circumstances and workers inspected the escalator after the deadly incident, returning it to service without mechanical issues. Eng further explained that the officer who was on duty had clocked in at 4:45 am and was working through a checklist of items in preparation for the morning rush.

"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," Eng advised.

McCluskey was a carpenter and father of two boys who ran his own business. Accoridng to his obituary, he was "known for his stubborn spirit, quick sense of humor, and deeply caring heart." His family said that in recent years, he had also been struggling with addiction.

“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 said.

His sister, Shannon Flaherty, called for accountability in the wake of her brother's death, telling NBC10, "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 mother, who received a phone call from the hospital the morning the incident occurred, cried over the fact that nobody who walked by him stopped to provide assistance.

“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,” she said. "He was a somebody. He had a life. We loved him. They treated him like he didn’t exist."