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Man dies when hood caught in MBTA escalator (Boston)
AP ^ | 3.2.05

Posted on 03/02/2005 11:21:18 AM PST by ambrose

Man dies when hood caught in MBTA escalator

The Associated Press

March 02, 2005

A 34-year-old man from El Salvador was strangled to death last week when the hood of his sweatshirt became entangled in an escalator at the Porter Square subway station in Cambridge, officials said.

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officials, who made the Feb. 21 incident public on Tuesday, said MBTA police and state safety investigators have ruled the death an accident.

Francisco Portillo, who lived in East Boston and worked at a Cambridge restaurant, was either sitting or laying down on the escalator when his hood became caught at the bottom of the escalator, officials said.

"If the T believed that this was anything other than an isolated incident, then swift and decisive action would have been taken, accompanied by a public announcement," MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said.

Authorities suspect Portillo was drinking before the accident. A near-empty bottle of Korean whiskey was found in his pocket. Portillo worked as a prep cook at a sushi bar in Porter Square.

"At this point, investigators believe that alcohol was involved in this incident," Pesaturo said.

MBTA Transit police originally received a call at 9:50 p.m. that a man was possibly having a seizure. Bystanders saw him struggle, tried to free him, and hit the emergency stop button. Portillo's hood was too tight around his neck to remove, police said. He was pronounced dead at Cambridge Hospital.

Officials from the state Public Safety Department inspected the escalator and determined there was nothing mechanically wrong with it before the accident.

Public Safety spokeswoman Katie Ford said the death was caused by "human error," and that the MBTA was cleared last week to resume operating the escalator.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: bacdoa
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1 posted on 03/02/2005 11:21:19 AM PST by ambrose
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To: ambrose

I believe "strangled to death" is redundant.


2 posted on 03/02/2005 11:22:35 AM PST by rudy45
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To: ambrose

"Authorities suspect Portillo was drinking before the accident. A near-empty bottle of Korean whiskey was found in his pocket."

Yet another reason for me to remain a teetotaler.


3 posted on 03/02/2005 11:22:59 AM PST by srm913
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To: ambrose

"either sitting or laying down on the escalator when his hood became caught at the bottom of the escalator, officials said."

I bet the family sues.


4 posted on 03/02/2005 11:23:17 AM PST by Peace will be here soon
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To: ambrose

Something similar happened on a DC metro escaltor years ago. A grandmother had her grandkids and the long winter scarf of one got caught in the treds and the child strangled.


5 posted on 03/02/2005 11:24:31 AM PST by radiohead (revote in washington state)
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To: Peace will be here soon

I'm lost. How does your HOOD get caught in an escalator? How do you ride an escalator lying down?


6 posted on 03/02/2005 11:25:20 AM PST by AppyPappy (If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Be Made In Prolonging The Problem.)
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To: ambrose
Portillo's hood was too tight around his neck to remove

Sheesh...doesn't anybody carry a pocket knife anymore?

It is one of the most effective ways to interface with and control your immediate environment in so many ways.

7 posted on 03/02/2005 11:25:43 AM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (If you decide to kick the tiger in the ass...you'd better be prepared to deal with the teeth.)
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To: ambrose

You should have included the öbligatory "Darwin Alert"


8 posted on 03/02/2005 11:25:48 AM PST by Cobra64 (Babes should wear Bullet Bras - www.BulletBras.net)
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To: AppyPappy
How do you ride an escalator lying down?

Apparently, first you consume a bottle of Korean whiskey.

9 posted on 03/02/2005 11:26:47 AM PST by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: ambrose
Authorities suspect Portillo was drinking before the accident. A near-empty bottle of Korean whiskey was found in his pocket...

Well, knock me over with a feather.

10 posted on 03/02/2005 11:27:04 AM PST by Constitution Day
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To: ambrose
Portillo's hood was too tight around his neck to remove . . .

And no one had a knife with which to free him. Probably because it's illegal to carry them in Boston. Thanks a lot, libs: You killed this man.

11 posted on 03/02/2005 11:27:14 AM PST by LibWhacker
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To: ambrose; Flying Circus

Korean whiskey?


12 posted on 03/02/2005 11:27:25 AM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Fermented Kimchi?


13 posted on 03/02/2005 11:29:00 AM PST by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts
'Ya beat me to it! :-)

The way libs have set about rendering people useless and defenseless is amazing!

14 posted on 03/02/2005 11:29:43 AM PST by LibWhacker
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts

Spyderco Delica, fully serrated. Feel naked without it clipped to my pocket. Hate flying now, as a result.


15 posted on 03/02/2005 11:30:38 AM PST by FreedomPoster (This space intentionally blank)
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To: ambrose
"worked as a prep cook at a sushi bar"

What do they cook in a sushi bar?

16 posted on 03/02/2005 11:31:09 AM PST by Deguello
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts

Probably because the Dept. of Homeland security has outlawed pocket knives on transit systems. </sarcasm>


17 posted on 03/02/2005 11:31:19 AM PST by nyg4168
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To: PBRSTREETGANG

"Mocli." Bottled evil.


18 posted on 03/02/2005 11:31:21 AM PST by Snickersnee (Where are we going? And what's with this handbasket?)
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To: ambrose
"Oh, he never returned,
No, he never returned
And his fate is still unlearrrrrrrrned"
19 posted on 03/02/2005 11:32:20 AM PST by CaptRon (Pedecaris alive or Raisuli dead)
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To: srm913

Escalator danger aside, you'd think Korean Whiskey would be enough of a reason not to drink.


20 posted on 03/02/2005 11:32:48 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim (This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around.....)
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