2nd Somerville Davis Square Escalator Incident This Year Sends Woman To Hospital

A man died from injuries sustained during a similar incident back in February.

By Benjamin Pierce, Patch Staff

Aug 3, 2026 9:24 AM EDT

A person was able to push the escalator's emergency stop button. (David Allen/Patch)

SOMERVILLE, MA — A woman suffered minor injuries after her clothing became caught in an escalator at the Davis Square MBTA Station late last week, according to the city of Somerville.

The Somerville Fire Department responded to the station at approximately 7:13 a.m. on Friday, July 31, after receiving reports of an individual whose clothing had become caught in an escalator. Firefighters cut away the trapped clothing to safely free the individual, who was transported to Cambridge Hospital for evaluation of a minor hand injury.

The city credited a passerby with helping prevent the incident from becoming more serious.

"The passerby pressed the escalator's emergency stop button to halt the machinery before responders arrived," Somerville Public Information Officer Victoria MacGregor told Patch. "Responders cut away the caught clothing to safely free the individual, who was transported to Cambridge Hospital for evaluation of a minor hand injury."

The woman fell after boarding the escalator and part of her clothing became caught as she reached the bottom. Another rider who was ahead of her activated the emergency stop button and helped free her before first responders arrived. MBTA Transit Ambassadors and Transit Police also responded to the scene.

The incident comes about five months after Steven McCluskey, 40, died following an escalator accident at the same station. McCluskey was injured on Feb. 27 after falling near the bottom of a moving escalator. His clothing became caught in the machinery, restricting his airway, and surveillance video later showed more than 20 minutes passed before an MBTA employee stopped the escalator. He was freed by first responders and transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he died 10 days later.

McCluskey's death sparked widespread attention and renewed questions about public safety and emergency response on the MBTA. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled his death accidental, and the Middlesex District Attorney's Office continues to investigate the incident.

Following this latest incident, the MBTA reminded riders that emergency stop buttons are located at the top and bottom of every escalator and encouraged passengers to hold the handrail, avoid standing too close to the entrance or exit, keep loose clothing and bags clear of moving parts, and use elevators when traveling with strollers or wheeled mobility devices.