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Subscribe to RSSAn 88-year-old woman was strangled to death Tuesday after her clothes became tangled in an escalator at a New York train station. WNBC-TV's Pei-Sze Cheng reports.
An 88-year-old woman was strangled to death when her clothes got tangled in the treads of an escalator she was riding at the Long Island Rail Road station in Lindenhurst Tuesday, officials say.
"A preliminary investigation and autopsy concluded that the woman fell on the escalator, her clothing became entangled and she was asphyxiated," LIRR spokesman Sam Zambuto said in a statement.
The victim was identified as Irene Bernatzky of Lindenhurst, whom neighbors described as healthy and sprightly for her age. She often walked to the train station from her house and frequently visited her daughter, who lives in Manhattan.
That's where she was headed Tuesday afternoon when she fell on the escalator, according to neighbors.
"Every day, we'd see her walking up and down the block," said neighbor Gerri Hewitt, describing Bernatzky as a "friendly" and "lovely" woman who knew all the neighborhood children's names.
Regular commuters at the Lindenhurst station told NBC New York the escalator often seemed to be out of service and mentioned issues with the handrails, but LIRR officials said Wednesday the escalator has been inspected monthly and is maintained in "good operating condition."
Read the original story on NBCNewYork.com
The last inspection of the escalator before Tuesday happened on Feb. 9, according to a service log. During a maintenance procedure that day, mechanics replaced a broken upper-left comb plate.
The escalator was installed 18 years ago, in 1994. While the service time for an escalator typically ranges from 20 to 25 years, this one was marked for an early replacement, according to Zambuto. The project fell through when budget cuts shifted the priority to even older escalators.
The escalator remained out of service Wednesday, and MTA police were continuing to investigate.
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Leave a Comment:
Ok who caused the escalator to be possessed by a demon!?
wow thats nothing short of hillarious HA HA HA HA. i dont know if i would have even been able to help i would have been laughing so hard, where is the personal responsibility for ANYTHING in this stupid country.
My sister lives in Lindenhurst about a mile from where this occured.
I hope it's not contagious.
Where were the bystanders? How can anyone stand there and watch an old lady get strangled by her clothes? I think this is just another case of "somebody else help her!".
Living in NYC I'm not surprised. all the escalators operated by the MTA are a nightmare. There are several in Grand Central that have been broken for literally months, and the only way out of the lower corridor is three flights up or waiting for one small, slow elevator. And before anyone yelps about being too lazy or out of shape to take the stairs, there are folks out there with knee arthritis, carrying heavy bags, etc.
I've never thought twice about escalators until I moved to NY.
Having a baby in a stroller or little kid w/ you is every bit as bad as arthritis, heavy bags, etc. It's no big deal to ride the escalator; just obey the rule - riders (and their stuff) to the right, walkers to the left.
Wonder if there are similar problems w/ airport people movers? Maybe fewer, since they're slower and flat and sound warning when you're approaching the end.
What a horrible thing to happen to anyone let alone an 88 year old women. This make me very sad.
It's always a little nerve wracking just getting onto and off an escalator. Timing the steps and dismount...
Just the other day I was on an escalator behind 2 women who were wearing what I think would be called sari's. They were in long, scarf-like dresses, very beautiful, but I noticed that the bottom of the fabric was lying on the "step" of the escalotor, and when the one woman moved, it brushed up against the side of the escalator. I remember thinking it could so easily get caught in one of the grooves of the escalator. Just a reminder to be careful of loose articles of clothing!
This poor woman! How awful!
Shades of Isadora Duncan. How sad. Wonder how many denizens of the Big Apple stepped over her, walked around her, captured the images on their idiot phones, or otherwise ignored an elderly citizen in distress. Don't even try to tell me she was all alone there in a city of 8 million. What have we become?
Hatfield.... it didn't happen in NYC... it happened on Long Island, at the Lyndehhurst LIRR platform. Other than rush hour, there is not much commuter traffic on these stations.
How did no one see this woman dying on the stairs?
Very probably no one was around at that time. The Lyndenhurst LIRR platform is like many others not overly or even used by other than rush hour commuters. If there was one or two others there, that would be a large number.
RIP!
Rest In Peace Irene Bernatzky...
My condolences to your family, friends and neighbors.
Future episode of 1000 Ways to Die
An elderly 88 year old woman has no business being on an escalator in the first place, any more than she should have been flying a plane or driving a car. At 88 she should have known better, or someone like her daughter should have stopped her. As long as the AARP continues to tell oldsters that they can do whatever they did when they were younger, and collect dues from all these old farts, and then lobby in Washington for them, accidents like this will happen. I am just happy that she did not kill anyone other than herself with her stupidity and arrogance.
Seriously? It's not like she was skydiving or rock climbing! She was an elderly woman going from one level to the next in a train station! She wasn't being stupid or arrogant! I wouldn't consider ANYONE who chose to use the escalator as stupid or arrogant. It's not like she was thinking "I'm such a hot shot, I'm gonna throw caution to the wind and get on this ESCALATOR!" She was thinking, "I can't wait to see my daughter." Accidents happen, you don't have to blame the victim EVERY time. I can't help but wonder what crazy risk-taking moves YOU make every day. Do you drive a car? Walk in the rain? Swim? Or bathe? Or even shower? Do you live in an area with ANY sort of predatory animal or poisonous insect? Do you live in an area with ANY crime? How stupid and arrogant of you! I'm pretty sure there are far more examples of fatalities per year with ANY of the things I just mentioned than escalators.
According to you, even healthy elderly people should stay at home and miserable for the rest of their lives. That way they won't be in danger while actually LIVING.
One minor detail your clueless brain has failed to factor in..... SHE IS 88 YEARS OLD. There are things a thinking person would stop doing at 88. I am 1/3 her age. At 88 I will know better... bet you won't.
People w/ mobility problems and slow reaction times typically don't get on escalators because they physically can't. The moving steps and inability to move their legs instantaneously makes it impossible. This 88 YO sounds like she was in good condition for her age; loose clothing was the culprit.
I witnessed a man at the shopping mall who tripped, luckily he was quick to free his foot off the shoe before the shoelace got caught on the escalator. I can't imagine the worst scenario.
Try to get a New Yorker to slow down for someone for one second and you will understand how this woman died like this in the middle of a huge city.
Ya know, it's the things you never think of that sometimes take you out in the end.
-Car Accident
-Dueling
-Cancer
-Plane Crash
-Parachute not opening during skydiving event
-Drop hair dryer in tub on accident
-Escalator (added March of 2012)
I'm sure someone has already taken the first steps towards a hefty lawsuit. The defendant certainly faces an uphill climb on this one. A massive settlement could well start in the millions and only go up from there.
Wonder if that uphill climb will involve another killer escalator....
Subtle, but nice.
People were probably too busy taking pics of her for facebook and twitter to help her. That's what our society has been reduced to.
Im surprised no left loon is talking about making them illigal LOL Thats about there mentality on most things.To bad to die that way though.
MSNBC and its EMPLYEES – FOR THE VOTE
MSNBC - Pretends they are against the rich – funny MSNBC is
Rich
MSNBC – Pretends they want to give money to the poor – Name
one of them who once went to the south side and spent a dime of their own money
or time helping the poor.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about gays – Yea sure they lose
sleep every night in there nice homes.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about abortion rights – Yea sure
and they are losing sleep every night, never see any of them helping someone pregnant.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about illegals – Yea sure and
I saw a hundred of them helping the illegals
MSNBC – Pretends they care about the PILL – Sure I am buying that as long as it gets you
a vote for your power.
What they care about is the VOTE.
May she rest in peace. Such a horrible way to die.
MSNBC and its EMPLYEES – FOR THE VOTE
MSNBC - Pretends they are against the rich – funny MSNBC is
Rich
MSNBC – Pretends they want to give money to the poor – Name
one of them who once went to the south side and spent a dime of their own money
or time helping the poor.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about gays – Yea sure they lose
sleep every night in there nice homes.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about abortion rights – Yea sure
and they are losing sleep every night, never see any of them helping someone pregnant.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about illegals – Yea sure and
I saw a hundred of them helping the illegals
MSNBC – Pretends they care about the PILL – Sure I am buying that as long as it gets you
a vote for your power.
What they care about is the VOTE.
MSNBC and its EMPLYEES – FOR THE VOTE
MSNBC - Pretends they are against the rich – funny MSNBC is
Rich
MSNBC – Pretends they want to give money to the poor – Name
one of them who once went to the south side and spent a dime of their own money
or time helping the poor.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about gays – Yea sure they lose
sleep every night in there nice homes.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about abortion rights – Yea sure
and they are losing sleep every night, never see any of them helping someone pregnant.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about illegals – Yea sure and
I saw a hundred of them helping the illegals
MSNBC – Pretends they care about the PILL – Sure I am buying that as long as it gets you
a vote for your power.
What they care about is the VOTE.
OKAY, So?
MSNBC and its EMPLYEES – FOR THE VOTE
MSNBC - Pretends they are against the rich – funny MSNBC is
Rich
MSNBC – Pretends they want to give money to the poor – Name
one of them who once went to the south side and spent a dime of their own money
or time helping the poor.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about gays – Yea sure they lose
sleep every night in there nice homes.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about abortion rights – Yea sure
and they are losing sleep every night, never see any of them helping someone pregnant.
MSNBC – They pretend they care about illegals – Yea sure and
I saw a hundred of them helping the illegals
MSNBC – Pretends they care about the PILL – Sure I am buying that as long as it gets you
a vote for your power.
What they care about is the VOTE.
OKAY, So? Again.........