11 injured after escalator accelerates at Milwaukee Brewers ballpark

MILWAUKEE, Wis. ( WFRV ) — Eleven people were injured Saturday after an escalator malfunction at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

Six people were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries while five others were treated at the ballpark, according to Tyler Barnes, the senior vice president of communications and affiliate operations for the Milwaukee Brewers.

A statement released from the team on Sunday said the escalator malfunctioned while fans were exiting following the Brewers’ loss to the Chicago Cubs.

The escalator’s malfunction resulted “in an increased downward speed,” Barnes said in a statement.

“Our onsite physician and EMS were on the scene immediately,” the Brewers said. “We are appreciative of their quick response.”

The team did not provide any further information.

A witness told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that while waiting to get on the escalator, they “heard a screeching sound” followed by the escalator “picking up speed” a few seconds later.

“Then from the top where we were on the fourth level, we just saw fans like just plummeting down basically,” she said. “Then someone else that was up there clicked the emergency stop button and I had yelled for everybody to back up from the area.”

Greg Braggs with CHGO Sports told WITI he was on the escalator when “the whole thing shook and made a noise.” He said that initially, everyone “kind of laughed-off the fear” before “the entire thing just broke loose and started running downhill like a roller coaster.”

Additional details on the victims or what caused the malfunction were not immediately available. The Brewers have another home game against the Cubs on Sunday before a seven-game road trip. They will play in Milwaukee again on July 9.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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