Newly released surveillance footage shows the harrowing moments before a young father-of-two got fatally stuck in an escalator outside of Boston while commuters walked right by.
Steven McCluskey was heading down an escalator at Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority’s Davis Station in Somerville, Mass., shortly before 5 a.m. on Feb. 27, when he appeared to lose his balance and fall at the bottom of the moving stairway, NBC10 Boston reported.
McCluskey’s clothing appeared to get caught in the escalator, the footage showed.
The 57-minute video obtained by the outlet showed the 40-year-old’s legs flail as he worked to free himself from the still-moving escalator, and a single passerby who briefly tried to help before leaving.
A short, flailing struggle ensues, before McCluskey is seen motionless, flat on his back with his hand above his head right, the footage showed.
Around a dozen people can be seen walking by McCluskey, with some briefly staring at him and others barely noticing, according to the clip.
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.