MARTA escalator collapse: experts blame brakes, not stampede

ATLANTA - Two experts on escalators said they don't believe the incident at MARTA's Vine Station last week was caused by a stampede. They said the video released by MARTA appears to show the escalator malfunction.

Post-Beyoncé concert escalator incident

The backstory:

The incident happened after Beyoncé’s Sunday performance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  A witness told FOX 5 that the escalator sped up and then abruptly stopped working, which caused people to fall on top of each other, pinning them down.

Eleven people were injured. One person suffered a broken ankle, and seven others were hospitalized.

MARTA officials said the situation began when a person started screaming and running, which caused a "stampede" on the escalator at the station.

Experts push back against MARTA

What they're saying:

Now, two people with an extensive background in escalators are disputing that explanation.

Dennis Olson, who is an expert with Robson Forensic, said the evidence he sees doesn't show an overloaded escalator.

"It’s very difficult to overload an escalator. It’s very difficult based upon the design of the equipment," he said. "The evidence doesn’t present that."

Olson has worked on escalators, elevators, and moving sidewalks across the country. He completed the design review and construction oversight for 70 elevators and escalators in the new One World Trade Center. He also conducted a safety inspection and review of all MARTA stations around 2008. 

He said the video appears to show the escalator's safety features not working.

"To me, this is basically what I would call a catastrophic brake failure," Olson said. "For lack of a better term, it took them on a wild ride down."

 Olson said an escalator should be able to hold 150% of its capacity without brake failure. 

Tony Boom, another escalator expert, agrees with Olson.

"Just by looking at that, it looks like the brake did not engage or it did not have enough torque," said Boom. "You have a freewheeling roller coaster."

Neither Boom nor Olson inspected the escalator at the Vine City Station, but based on their years of experience in the field, both said functioning safety devices are designed to stop an escalator in a situation such as this.

MARTA said people caused the issue

The other side:

While Olson and Boom raise concerns based on their interpretation of video footage, neither has inspected the escalator firsthand. In contrast, state-certified inspectors evaluated the machinery the morning following the incident and found no mechanical failures, according to MARTA.

MARTA's acting CEO, Rhonda Allen, addressed the incident at their meeting Thursday. Allen said the escalator in Vine City Station was inspected on July 10 -- four days before the concert.

"There was nothing wrong with the escalator in and of itself besides it was overloaded and that caused the reaction it had," said Rhonda Allen.

Escalator maintenance backs up MARTA

The other side:

MARTA's elevator and escalator maintenance provider, Schindler Elevator Corporation, responded to a request for comment about Boom and Olson's assertions with the following statement: 

"We are aware of comments from third-parties who are not involved in the investigation speculating on the cause of the incident at Vine City Station. It’s important to remember that regardless of any individual’s credentials, without having inspected the equipment directly, their assessment amounts to premature conjecture. We take the safety of the riding public seriously and have been working closely with MARTA, Vine City Station personnel, and local authorities since the moments after the incident to fully investigate and determine its cause. As reported during MARTA’s Working Session last week, the escalator was inspected by state officials the morning following the incident and there was no indication of equipment malfunction. We will continue to cooperate fully with the state’s investigation and will defer to its findings rather than contribute to any further speculation."

Family injured considers suing

Dig deeper:

Families who spoke with FOX 5 following the incident said the same thing Olson and Boom said.

The Dogan family was on the escalator when it collapsed. They said the incident was not the result of a stampede, but a mechanical failure that left them fearing for their lives.

The family suffered multiple injuries and is now considering legal action.

Concerns ahead of World Cup

Why you should care:

District 11 Councilwoman Marci Collier Overstreet is calling for an investigation. She said the incident raises serious concerns about safety as Atlanta prepares to host major international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl 63 in 2028.

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