Two firefighters suffered minor injuries on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013, around 5:30 a.m., while battling a blaze on an escalator that caught fire at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The fire broke out around 5:20 a.m., and was contained by 6:30 a.m., according to airport officials. Initial reports indicated that the firefighters may have slipped on water that was being used to fight the fire. At the time of writing there was no indication of what caused the escalator to catch fire, although NBC 11 Alive reported that officials believed the fire started in the escalator’s motor. Both firefighters were treated for their injuries at the scene. Watch the report by NBC 11 Alive below:
According to WSB-TV Channel 2 Atlanta, a sprinkler technician was injured around 10 a.m., Thursday, February 21, 2013, when a ladder he was carrying became wedged in an escalator, creating a gap wide enough for his foot to enter and become entrapped. The man and a partner were transporting the ladder from the P2 level to the P3 level when the ladder became wedged between two of the steps, creating a gap between the step and the skirt panel. The victim’s foot was entrapped in the escalator’s skirt for approximately one hour, until fire fighters responded and used heavy equipment and a “cribbing” technique to provide a gap wide enough to allow the man’s foot to be pulled back out. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital. Read the fully story by WSB-TV2, published February 21, 2013.
Although newer escalators are equipped with numerous safety devices that are intended to prevent the escalator from continuing to run when an object jams the steps or skirt panels, public records indicate that the shopping center, Phipps PLaza, a Simon property, was built in 1969, which suggests that the escalator may have only been required to comply with a 1960s edition of the ASME A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators. This also incident highlights the dangers of using escalators to transport materials. When riding an escalator, always pay careful attention for untied shoe laces, loose fitting clothing, and especially rubber “Crocs” type sandals, as these can all become entrapped between steps, leading to escalator accidents similar to these.
A young child was injured Wednesday, December 28, 2011 around 7 p.m. at the Mall of Georgia in Buford, Georgia. According to a fire official, the child fell out of a stroller while the stroller was on the escalator. The child was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for minor injuries.
This story is an unfortunate example of the very real dangers of boarding an escalator with a stroller. Although it is not directly required by the ASME A17.1, “Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators,” escalator manufacturers and building owners frequently place prominent signs near escalators warning riders not to board with strollers, walkers, or carts. Other accidents involving strollers include strollers being dropped down the escalator and strollers becoming entrapped with the escalator.