The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shared video with NewsCenter 5 on Monday that shows an escalator malfunction that injured multiple people at the Back Bay MBTA Station in Boston.The incident happened on Sept. 26 and many of the people shown on the MBTA’s video were wearing New England Patriots jerseys.The video shows the escalator functioning properly before it suddenly reverses direction and starts accelerating backward at a rapid rate of speed.The people on the escalator are seen tumbling backwards and piling up at the bottom of the escalator. At least nine of those people suffered injuries.A woman who spoke with NewsCenter 5 back in September said she was among the group of people who were traveling back to Boston from Foxborough after the Patriots home game against the New Orleans Saints that day. In a statement, an attorney representing two families who were injured at Back Bay Station said that his clients “continue to recover and still face a long road following this incident.”The escalator involved in the incident at Back Bay Station remains closed as of Monday.Some of the people injured during the incident are suing the MBTA and KONE, the contractor hired to maintain the escalators.“Safety is KONE’s top priority and our thoughts go out to those who were injured,” the company said in a statement shared with NewsCenter 5 on Monday. “KONE routinely inspects and maintains the MBTA’s units in compliance with regulatory requirements and the unique contractual terms and specifications of its agreement with the MBTA.”In the statement, KONE said that the escalator unit that malfunctioned was not manufactured by the company and that it passed a state inspection that was performed on July 30. According to KONE, the inspection included a brake torque test.”KONE continues to work with the Department of Public Safety and the MBTA to perform stringent evaluation of units within the MBTA system,” the statement reads. “As a matter of policy, KONE cannot provide specific details regarding the ongoing investigation due to pending litigation.”The MBTA told NewsCenter 5 that KONE serviced the escalator in question on Sept. 7. The transportation authority declined to comment on the incident in general, noting that it remains under investigation.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shared video with NewsCenter 5 on Monday that shows an escalator malfunction that injured multiple people at the Back Bay MBTA Station in Boston.
The incident happened on Sept. 26 and many of the people shown on the MBTA’s video were wearing New England Patriots jerseys.
The video shows the escalator functioning properly before it suddenly reverses direction and starts accelerating backward at a rapid rate of speed.
The people on the escalator are seen tumbling backwards and piling up at the bottom of the escalator. At least nine of those people suffered injuries.
A woman who spoke with NewsCenter 5 back in September said she was among the group of people who were traveling back to Boston from Foxborough after the Patriots home game against the New Orleans Saints that day.
In a statement, an attorney representing two families who were injured at Back Bay Station said that his clients “continue to recover and still face a long road following this incident.”
The escalator involved in the incident at Back Bay Station remains closed as of Monday.
Some of the people injured during the incident are suing the MBTA and KONE, the contractor hired to maintain the escalators.
“Safety is KONE’s top priority and our thoughts go out to those who were injured,” the company said in a statement shared with NewsCenter 5 on Monday. “KONE routinely inspects and maintains the MBTA’s units in compliance with regulatory requirements and the unique contractual terms and specifications of its agreement with the MBTA.”
In the statement, KONE said that the escalator unit that malfunctioned was not manufactured by the company and that it passed a state inspection that was performed on July 30. According to KONE, the inspection included a brake torque test.
“KONE continues to work with the Department of Public Safety and the MBTA to perform stringent evaluation of units within the MBTA system,” the statement reads. “As a matter of policy, KONE cannot provide specific details regarding the ongoing investigation due to pending litigation.”
The MBTA told NewsCenter 5 that KONE serviced the escalator in question on Sept. 7. The transportation authority declined to comment on the incident in general, noting that it remains under investigation.