Surveillance footage from downtown Atlanta’s Vine City MARTA station, reviewed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, paints a more detailed picture of what happened when an escalator malfunctioned, injuring at least 21 people after the Beyoncé concert just past midnight on July 15.
Here’s the chain of events, as pieced together through 911 records, statements, and time-stamped footage from multiple cameras inside and outside the station.
11:41 p.m. Monday, July 14
Beyoncé concert ends at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
12:15 a.m. Tuesday, July 15
In the crowd waiting to pass through the station’s fare gates, a person sees a cockroach and screams, according to MARTA officials. A woman and others are seen jumping away suddenly.
Outside the station, people react to the commotion and begin running away from the station, causing what MARTA called a “stampede.” The “stampede,” which knocks some people to the ground, is in the opposite direction of the escalator.
Inside the station, past the fare gates, people are seen turning to look at the commotion at the entrance. They walk quickly toward the escalator, which has a crowd waiting to board. No stampede takes place inside the station.
Views of the top of the escalator show a crowd of people boarding the escalator. Some are boarding two people per stair.
12:16 a.m.
Suddenly, the escalator begins speeding up — moving downward rapidly for at least seven seconds before coming to a sudden stop.
People on the escalator are seen clinging to the handrails. Those at the bottom are tossed onto the platform.
The crowd already on the platform waiting for trains quickly moves away from the escalator. Some begin to help the injured.
12:18 a.m.
MARTA Police request an ambulance to the scene, according to the 911 dispatch report. They report multiple injured people.
12:29 a.m.
Grady EMS requests Atlanta E911 dispatch the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department to respond to the Vine City MARTA station, according to the fire incident report. Grady EMS did not respond to questions asking whether they asked Atlanta Fire for assistance or why the EMTs stationed nearby at the stadium could not respond sooner.
12:32 a.m.
Atlanta E911 dispatched Atlanta Fire to the scene.
12:46 a.m.
Grady EMS administration says it receives a 911 call and dispatches an ambulance to the scene. The 911 dispatch log shows an ambulance was first requested by MARTA Police at 12:18 a.m. Grady EMS did not respond to questions asking for clarification.
12:50 a.m.
Atlanta fire responders — the first emergency medical personnel on the scene — arrive on the platform where several riders are seen lying on the ground, clutching their injuries and waiting for medical attention.
Credit: Body cam footage
Credit: Body cam footage
The fire incident report shows they arrived at the station at 12:47 a.m., or roughly 15 minutes after being dispatched.
1:02 a.m.
Grady EMS arrives on the scene, according to a spokesperson.
Staff reporter Sara Gregory contributed to this report.
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