Man's toe is torn off on escalator at Nottingham shopping centre
A CITY centre shopper has had his toe ripped off while on an escalator.
Firefighters were called yesterday afternoon to free the 24-year-old man in West End Arcade, Parliament Street, and asked nearby shops for ice to preserve the toe.
Central Fire Station manager Tom Clark said the man was conscious while they dismantled the escalator.
"He suffered quite a severe injury. There was quite a lot of bleeding," said Mr Clark.
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"He was conscious and lucid and responsive all the time. He was tough given the stress of the situation."
The victim was taken out of the arcade on a stretcher, his foot heavily bandaged. An ambulance took him to hospital.
A 26-year-old man who worked in a barber's shop at the arcade saw the accident.
He said: "He was wearing soft-toed shoes. His toe was stuck in the escalator. He lost the toe. He was in pain. We heard screaming.
"My colleague stopped the escalator."
Colin Taylor, 45, who owns sweet shop Sugarcube, said: "I saw him trapped so I went outside and made the phone call and waited for the emergency services.
"I heard him screaming and he was obviously in a great deal of pain."
David Rose, 57, who works in the record shop Music Inn, said a fireman had asked for ice.
"I heard the chap shout and the next thing I knew there was no end of people running out and hitting the stop button on the escalator," he said.
"I didn't see him until he was sitting in the corner – he had his foot elevated and all bandaged up.
"Then a fireman came in and asked for ice so I knew there was something missing.
"They took the escalator top off before they took him away, which I'm guessing was to see if they could find the toe."
Both traders said they were not aware of pervious problems with the escalator.
Mr Rose added: "They come out and service it regularly."
A spokesman for East Midlands Ambulance Service said: "The patient was bleeding and had lost a toe."
Nottingham City Council’s Environmental Health department will be investigating the incident. The council said the area would remain cordoned off until its investigation was finished.
A spokesman for Hodgson Elkington, on behalf of the arcade, said: "We have no comment at the moment. We are assessing the situation."
Comments
by dje1970
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 1:04PM
“"Hooray! after nearly 11 months the access to the west end arcade has finally re opened - much much too late for my old shop, and at least 3 others - SHAME ON YOU HODGSON ELKINGTON and the landlords for your lack of action - and guess what, the escalator has been replaced by a staircase - just the job (NOT) for the disabled, wheelchair users, the elderly and mothers with prams - bloody useless the lot of them !!"”
by Musobrowser
Monday, March 19 2012, 2:51PM
“No worries Jbono. I take your point. I could've chosen my words more carefully. It's just that I use this arcade a lot and have bought records, guitars, books, clothes and sometimes even lunch from its many and various traders over the years (anyone remember ezeebrew?) and as Novemberer points out the negative publicity might have a negative impact on sales. But while commerce is one thing, I'd never leave a fellow human in that kind of distress unless I knew they were being well looked after already and , lwibberley, it must've been your friend I saw standing with this poor chap moments after the accident that was doing such a great job of looking after and reassuring him. It's good to know that there are such good and helpful people out there but, in all honesty, if you'd been in my shoes at the time, I'm sure you would've come to the same conclusion i.e. he's already getting all the help he needs and any more people hanging around (me, for instance) would've just got in the way when the emergency services arrived. While I'm at it, apologies to The Post too, as they ran a great article on the creperie when it opened, so not all the publicity WEA has received is negative.”
by Jbono
Monday, March 19 2012, 1:26PM
“Mosobrowser
No opologies needed as I dont consider myself the least bit offended. Maybe your post just came across in the wrong way, So you keep on with your posting's.”
by Musobrowser
Monday, March 19 2012, 12:14PM
“Jbono, I apologise if I've offended your sensibilities. Your self righteousness is likewise admirable. Maybe "wander off" did sound flippant, but in the circumstances what was to be done? the situation was in hand thanks to lwibberley's friend and the chap who was already on the phone to emergency services. Had it been I trapped in the escalator the last thing I'd have wanted was a crowd gathering round. Sometimes discretion it the better part of valour. Thanks for your worthwhile contribution to this thread.”
by kpi99
Sunday, March 18 2012, 7:37PM
“lwibberly
I might mention a few little things that people might do here and there. Unfortunately I can't make head nor tail of your post.”
by Novemberer
Saturday, March 17 2012, 1:19PM
“Re: West End Arcade. It's shaping up to be a great little "vintage" nook - several record shops, a book shop, all sorts really - it's tatty, but charmingly so. If somebody did something with the old Murphys' pub (Selectadisc, hint-hint) it could be great again. I hope this unfortunate incident doesn't make traders' livelihoods even more difficult...”
by lwibberley
Saturday, March 17 2012, 12:08PM
“it was horrid, my friend was holding him up all the time, got help from the nhs drop in centre they could do must but did what they could. the people from the barbers got him out. why dont people every say anything about the little things people do. no mention of the nhs drop in centre or my friend staying with him all the time holding his hand calming him down.
Hope he is going to be ok.”
by Jbono
Saturday, March 17 2012, 7:00AM
“Musobrowser.....your concerns and observations on your first post were admirable....until you mention that although this guy was screaming in pain and you were unable to do anything because you didn't have a screwdriver, you decided to leave him and "wander off" ! I'm sure you are a thoroughly decent person....but .....??
On a related note, my memories of WE Acrade is going into the original Arcade Records in the 70's to get the latest US Northern Soul imports. Good times.”
by paulmetcalf
Friday, March 16 2012, 10:26PM
“crikey...i was on the same escalator on thursday at midday....”
by Chewchewchew
Friday, March 16 2012, 4:57PM
“I agree with all that money being spent to smarten the place up a bit would be a good idea but I'm sure that would inevitably lead to a rise in rent prices and characterless chain brands.”