According to MARTA spokesperson Stephany Fisher, 11 individuals were hurt on the escalator at Vine City Station. One person suffered a broken ankle, seven were taken to the hospital with cuts and scrapes, one person declined medical transport, and two others requested assistance after reaching their destinations.
MARTA police on the scene reported that the chaos began when someone started screaming and running, which triggered panic among the crowd. This reaction caused a stampede on the escalator, which appeared to suddenly speed up before coming to a stop. The escalator has since been barricaded as both MARTA and Schindler, the manufacturer, continue their investigation.
It was later revealed by MARTA police chief Scott Kreher that the person who triggered the panic was a 10-year-old girl who had seen a cockroach or Palmetto bug. Rhonda Allen, MARTA's acting CEO, confirmed to the board that the girl had been startled by the insect just outside the station entrance. Witnesses also shared this explanation, and a video circulating on TikTok reportedly features a woman stating the girl was her relative.
Video footage from the scene shows the escalator lurching forward, causing people to fall over each other while screams erupted throughout the station. Some injured individuals were seen lying on the ground, while others were assisted by fellow passengers. One student described the chaos as a "slide full of people" as the crowd began tumbling over itself.
A posted inspection certificate showed the escalator was due for renewal next month. Schindler stated that the escalator did not malfunction but appeared to have been overloaded. Its brakes were triggered by the unit's safety system. They confirmed that the equipment had undergone its latest maintenance on July 10 and was fully compliant at the time. Schindler offered sympathy to the injured and pledged full cooperation with the investigation.
