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With Consultant Hired, Escalator Investigation Continues

Cause Of Coors Field Accident Still Not Known

POSTED: 6:51 am MDT July 11, 2003
UPDATED: 11:33 am MDT July 11, 2003

City inspectors returned to Coors Field Friday to try and figure out what caused an escalator to suddenly accelerate, causing several dozen people to tumble down the moving stairway and fall on top of each other.

Video

The city inspectors and mechanics with the escalator manufacturer, Kone Corp., weren't alone. They were accompanied by a Rockies consultant hired to be on hand to oversee and help the investigation.

The consultant watched as technicians took the escalator apart and examined the mechanisms to see if there were mechanical failures.

The investigation into what caused a three-story escalator to malfunction had been put on hold because the baseball organization wanted their own consultant in on the investigation. The Rockies hired nationally known consultant firm Lerch, Bates and Associates sooner than expected so the investigation continued on Friday instead of Monday.

The escalator incident last Wednesday occurred at 10:15 p.m. as fans were leaving the stadium after a Rockies game and fireworks show. Police said 32 people were injured when the escalator suddenly started to speed up and sent people falling to the bottom.

City records show that the escalator missed inspection in December but it did pass another inspection just two days before the accident.

For now, all seven escalators at Coors Field will be shut down until inspectors can find a cause to the mishap. Fans going to the game Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers will be directed to the stairs, ramps and elevators.

Inspectors hope to have a preliminary report of their findings next week.


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