Coors Field Accident Injures At Least 20

[southerngale]

DENVER — An accident on an escalator at Coors Field Wednesday night injured at least 20 people, Denver fire officials said.

The accident occured at approximately 10:20 p.m. as a near-capacity crowd was leaving the stadium after the fireworks show following a Colorado Rockies win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Larry Trujillo, an assistant chief with the Denver Fire Department, said approximately 20 to 25 people were transported to Denver-area hospitals by ambulance. Trujillo estimated another eight to 10 people drove themselves to the hospital.

Trujillo said there were no deaths, but that the injuries ranged from compound fractures to concussions.

Eyewitnesses said the escalator appeared to speed up, causing one or more people to tumble forward. That caused a chain reaction, which resulted in a massive pileup at the bottom of the escalator.

The escalator, on the first-base side of the stadium, runs from the upper concourse (the 300 level) to the main concourse. Trujillo said the escalator is very steep, and he estimated it to be about 130 feet long.

"It's like it had no brakes and everybody was just piling up at the end of it," said Cherri Brownfield, who was on the escalator near its end when it sped up. "People were just falling on each other," she said.

"People were just sliding down like an avalanche," said Nick Nossinger, who was watching the fireworks.

Alex Frenier, a vendor at Coors Field, said people were screaming and falling down.

"I saw people's head all hitting each other," he said. "I heard people's bodies banging against that thing."

More than 47,000 people attended the game. The Rockies won, 6-2.

The Rockies still plan to play tonight's 6:05 game against Arizona.

[Lindaloo]

Those escalators have always looked dangerous to me. I never get on them if I can help it. I usually just take the stairs.

One good thing about this is noone was killed. That is a relief.