By Gus Saltonstall
Two people were hospitalized after an escalator accident at Trader Joe’s on Tuesday, according to the FDNY, a tipster, and a popular Upper West Side social media platform.
FDNY confirmed to West Side Rag that two people were transported to Mount Sinai West from Trader Joe’s at 2073 Broadway, off the corner of West 72nd Street, around 2:30 p.m.
“People fell down less than five feet due to an escalator,” an FDNY spokesperson wrote. “EMS transported two civilians with minor non-life-threatening injuries to Mount Sinai West Hospital.”
At 3:20 p.m. on Tuesday, the Rag received an email from a tipster.
“2 people injured – one bleeding at Trader Joe’s at Broadway and 72nd Street,” Roger Baron wrote. “I witnessed the woman lying at the bottom of the halted exit escalator. Within 10 minutes there was an ambulance in front of Trader Joe’s and then 5 minutes later the fire department. Another person, I was told (don’t know if it’s true) was visibly bleeding.”
Trader Joe’s did not immediately respond to WSR’s request for comment.
Someone also posted about the Tuesday Trader Joe’s escalator incident on the Upper West Side Reddit page.
“I saw a few people severely injured at the 72nd TJ store today,” a poster wrote. “Might be an escalator situation.”
Another user replied that someone “fell on the escalator and shredded his leg up pretty badly. There was not an insignificant amount of blood.”
When we visited the store around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the escalators were working, and there was no sign of any blood.
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So much drama around this escalator. I know this is a tricky space but this is a giant corporation – it really shouldn’t be this hard. I’ll stick to the one on Columbus that’s on one floor. I hope they are OK.
Well, you can count on upper west siders to make anything trivial a dramatic event. There’s already a comment here explaining what *actually* happened: an old man fell on top of other people.
So it had nothing to do with the escalator.
Well, if the escalator stopped suddenly causing the older man to fall and take out people below him, that is still a problem with the escalator. Physics is physics, UWS or not.
This TJ has always been an eyesore and a really low-end store. All the others in the city are on one level and operate normally. This one on 3 levels is a messy confusing dangerous store. Our neighbor slid on a plastic bag and broke her wrist while leaving the store. With so many empty stores within blocks on Broadway-WHY PICK THIS LOCATION? Pure greed. We never shop there and never will.
TJ’s on 33rd/3rd is below ground.
“When we visited the store around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the escalators were working, and there was no sign of any blood.”
No Blood? OK, go to checkout 21!
Plainly put, this is a terrible location for a Trader Joe’s, especially one that is considered the busiest in the country. It’s underground, it’s incredibly cramped, the line blocks so many of the display cases, the elevator is a disaster, and the escalators are no better. Shopping here is always unpleasant at best, despite the good prices. Trader Joe’s really should’ve taken this opportunity to move to a better location, preferably one above ground.
The old Food Emporium (then Lowe’s) has been sitting empty on 68th and Broadway for years. They could have moved to this location instead of trying to make the underground space work.
You don’t have to go there. Really, you don’t.
I was there at 12:20 yesterday. Incredibly quiet and sparse number of shoppers. I was impressed at the new floor plan which widens most aisles. Soon more shoppers arrived. My only complaint is that a number of favorite items weren’t in stock. Katherine, grocers in high rent locales take lower levels to keep prices reasonable. We need TJ at this location!
No one ‘needs’ a TJ, it’s a want and a convenience.
I agree. I live on West End and 69th and find the 59th and Frist Avenue much nicer so I go there instead,
they should take over the Marshall’s site !!
I agree completely.
This store and the Essex Crossing store are both very busy despite being underground.
Trader Joe’s would not see it the same way. It’s their busiest store and doesn’t even have a parking lot.
Doubtful. Just saying this is NOT the busiest store-it’s their defense line.
One of the reasons it’s the busiest is exactly because there is no parking lot. It’s in a densely populated area where no stores have parking lots.
The whole north west corner of 86th and Broadway is vacant and available, as far as I know. Including the old Gristede’s space downstairs.
Just sayin’
Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, someone…anyone?
A store like Whole Foods would never open north of 86th street regardless of available space. The neighborhood takes a noticeable nosedive once you go above 86th. It would be retailer suicide.
There’s a Whole Foods on 125th and Lenox in Harlem, lmao
You do realize there is a large Whole Foods at 100 and Columbus?
Once again trying to act so witty and smart and just showcasing your lack of brains.
It’s at 97th and Columbus and it’s wonderful.
Sorry – 97th instead of 100th. My point stands. I agree that it is very nice. But Dino thinks he knows all and isn’t aware of it and thinks that neighborhood doesn’t deserve something so nice.
There’s a very nice Whole Foods north of 86th, at 100th and Columbus.
That’s too close to the 93rd and Columbus location and too far from my apartment.
Yeah. The old Gristedes and The Gap space – that would be ideal
. And the coffee bar on the ground level at Gristedes was so delightful. I wonder if TJs could do something with that. But it is such a good location – right next to the train, the M86
I think it has been stated here that that space is a mess and will require a lot of work to get it up and running.
But your point is fair, and there are some other similar spots, like where I think the Lowe’s was on Broadway in the mid-upper 60s, the old Bed, Bath and Beyond (or is that really becoming a Wegman’s?), etc.
So, I ask seriously, is someone getting kick back TJ for this location. Is there a worst one anyone could choose?
It’s an A+ location. The layout is another story.
It’s the perfect one for me since I don’t have to ride the subway to get there.
Alternate reality?
All in all a remarkably successful re-opening for Trader Joe’s so far. No notes!
Is that a joke?
And they say some folks lack a sense of humor. Bullocks I say!
The first day they reopened the escalator went out
Sorry about the accidents, if they really happened as reported. But I think some of the negative comments on this subject were probably made by Fairway (and Morton Williams) shills!
Bravo, TJ, Welcome back!
There are Fairway shills? Do they pay?
Ill be right over
The information in this post is false / missing key facts relating to the incident: an old man with severe balance issues, fell backwards on the escalator while exiting the store. He fell on top of the injured people and that’s what hurt them. The escalator did not cause the accident. He walked away with a minor scrape on his knee and he and his wife did not stick around to see if the people he hurt were okay or to give a statement.
Maybe update the original article?
Remember: there should be a red emergency STOP button at the top and bottom of each escalator. Someone was strangled by his own clothes and died recently in Boston after collapsing on an escalator. Hitting the STOP button should be your first reaction if you see someone caught in an escalator.
I was there. An elderly man lost his balance and fell backwards onto the people behind him. Was not the escalators fault.
To be fair, escalators are often problem-ridden. I have tripped and fallen on them several times in all kinds of different places. But if possible this branch should move. Fleeing the impractcal underground space might save it from a lot of costly headaches.
They should have stuck with the old elevator, escalator company.
Last year a dumb customer took shopping cart on up escalator, could not clear the top and everyone following ended up falling over this heap of an error. Don’t always blame the escalator. It’s lucky that I’m a good jumper and could hop over the pile. Not TJ’s fault. Customer fault.
Maybe the customer wasn’t dumb. What if he or she had dementia? I have witnessed such “mistakes” being made by unaccompanied Alzheimer’s sufferers. It is heartbreaking.
Biased media coverage
I was one of the people that got caught in that. Unfortunately was right behind the man with the water cases and got my knee twisted pretty bad in it.
Lol!
Gosh….only in NYC would there be so much kvetching about a grocery store. It’s just plain silly.
Right on. The store is underground. I also would prefer a larger site above ground. That has not occurred. Stop all the complaining about the store. Escalator appears not guilty of injuring passengers. Comments often the worst part of reading WSR articles. It’s a good grocery store and a very positive addition to the UWS. Let’s move on
It is not silly. That place is mobbed, and hazardous for many people who try to shop there. Youre lucky to have avoided the danger.
I agree with you…,my point is that for some UWSiders this level of angst over a store is just crazy. Its really such a difficult place that long ago I decided that whatever they were selling I wasn’t buying.
It is not ideal, but the prices are noticeably lower and more affordable.
Sure Whole Foods is ‘nicer’. But there is a reason its nickname is “Whole Paycheck”. I’m a senior on limited income and Trader Joe and Aldis have the deals that help my budget a great deal.
Considering that multiple people have commented that an elderly person fell, which had nothing to do with the escalator itself, it would be good to amend this post so it doesn’t sound like you’re blaming Trader Joe’s.
That would be the job of the Trader Joe’s communications department. They could have called the West Side Rag with a few simple sentences/statement. “Today at Trader Joe’s a customer lost their balance on the escalator, causing two people minor injuries. Our new escalators are in working order and we continue to monitor them, and keep them in safe and working order in the interest of our valued customers. We look forward to welcoming back members of the Upper West Side community to our newly refurbished store.”
Cleanup in aisle 6?
Seriously though, this is not a good look for Trader Joe’s if–IF–it had to do with an escalator malfunction.
First time on an escalator?
There’s nothing wrong with having shops and large stores below ground. They have them all over the world. This is a perfect spot for TJ. It serves the immediate densely-populated neighborhood and is near an express top on the subway, serving people who come from a distance as well. There’s a reason it’s one of the busiest TJ’s in the country, and that reason is location.
The Reddit eyewitness said someone in an immobile leg cast fell on the escalator and domino-like knocked a row of people down.
I’m wondering why this is being featured as somehow being the fault of the new Trader Joe’s escalators?
In any case, OY!
Last week,as I was coming down the escalator within the store, to shop on the bottom floor, I & others behind me were almost seriously hurt! A woman shopping near the bottom with a large black dog, was not paying any attention as her dog began to board the down escalator, blocking my exit off! At the last second, the woman finally yanked her dog away! A few seconds later & instead of stumbling off the elevator, I would’ve fallen right there, blocking those behind me & they would’ve landed right on top of me! It’s become common in most of the Trader Joe’s in NYC, & many other stores here as well, for people to bring their dogs into the store with them, signs prohibiting it or not. And Trader Joe’s employees do nothing about it! When someone gets seriously hurt, & it costs Trader Joe’s serious money, even tripping over one of them or trying to avoid one of them in their crowded stores, maybe then TJ’s will do something about it! Even without the current problems with the escalators & elevators, Trader Joe’s needs to start taking responsibility for their customers safety inside their stores! I for one, have been finding other affordable locations to shop. (with less processed food), especially since their other NYC locations have been out of stock on many many items over the summer! No longer always worth the trip!
2 dogs this morning in Columbus ave store. It used to be a Whole Foods problem but now sadly spread to TJ. The law needs to change so people cant get away with this emotional support nonsense
I was taking the bus home on Friday evening and saw a Trader Joe’s team member graciously escorting a blind man to the bus stop across the street. Kudos to the TJ team staff member and the corporate ethos. We need more of that kindness in the city.
Other than that there was some kind of accident, there is no indication from anyone that the escalator was the cause. Maybe hold back the breathless reporting from someone who heard it from someone until you get some facts. I for one would like to see this store stay open.
Went to TJ yesterday for the first time post Renovation. Got there as the injured were being treated. But my visit was disappointing. Same layout with horrible checkout lines that obstruct the shelves, which were as empty as before. Elevator out. They should move to the empty Food Emporium space which is on one floor with a better layout for shelving and checkout lines.
Enthusiastically seconding that idea! The Food Emporium was a huge space for a grocery store, and it would be perfect for a Trader Joe’s. It could actually accommodate the enormous lines for starters. And it’s above ground.
I can’t believe such a prime real estate spot has been empty for, what, close to a decade now?
YES! That Food Emporium has been empty for years. That is the ideal location for TJs
i am so tired of hearing about this store.
Just at TJ’S. Elevator out. Customer with folded walker almost caused escalator back-up.
Good grief. Escalators and Trader Joe’s do not seem to be a good mix. All their woes make it appear the place was cursed from the start.
This is my 9/11
They should relocate to the empty space at 86th and Broadway, the former home of PC Richards. No escalators needed . . . it just makes good sense to have a single floor layout. Visited the Trader Joe’s in La Jolla last week — it was a delight compared to 72nd St. I tend to end up using the TJ at 6th Ave. and 21st. quite a bit. Its crowded but efficient.
We were here a few days after it reopened. One escalator down to the lower floor was out of service and the cart escalator from the lower floor was stuck and not moving with someone’s cart stuck half way up. It looked like a 80’s Moscow food store with many shelves empty and items not in their usual places. Why was this store closed for so many months when it is still inoperable. ? Hard for us seniors, for sure.
And as of yesterday, the day of this accident it’s still not a great place to shop .
Please update the article with the correct information provided by two eyewitnesses who point out that the escalator was not the cause of the injuries — it was an elderly man falling backwards onto them (see their comments). The article is misleading and is causing an overflow of panicky comments about the escalator.
The situation will be “escalated” to a hefty lawsuit.
The injuries will be ” escalated ” into a very large lawsuit.
Only open for a week, and already there are injuries. Never liked that TJ’s; never will.
Sorry folks got hurt on the escalator, that is not cool. However, this store’s location is perfect, and since the reopening, it’s been quite easy to navigate. We’re guessing that those ex-pats who started shopping on W.93rd during the closure decided to continue…good on them, and good on those of us who like the less hectic version of the 72nd street store.
I have poor balance and can’t afford to fall because my bones are so fragile. I had eagerly awaited the return of TJs for great prices and am now officially terrified. I could take the elevator and hope it doesnt get stuck. The mobs downstairs resemble the mobs on the entire East Side due to the U.N. Assembly taking place. It’s hell. Even Fairway, which I hate, seems safer ,so I go there.
Story is missing a major fact: WHAT did the escalator supposedly do that caused people to fall? It’s so narrow, that it’s hard to imagine anyone falling.
Did it stop short? Did it go into hyper speed? Or was an oblivious dork standing at the bottom so people couldn’t get off?
People don’t go to hospital “due to escalator.” Escalator WHAT?
Went to TJ around 11 today — the elevator wasn’t working. I was happy to see that the escalators were; however, the escalator going up from the lower level broke while I and several other shoppers had carts full of groceries.
This is really getting ridiculous. It’s not a “drama,” as some commenters say, but it is unacceptable.
Meanwhile, the 100 year old Macy’s escalator just keeps on rolling.
I really thought we had these figured out by now.
And it’s made of wood. Termites may be the biggest hazard.
Someone maybe shouldn’t have scrolled past the silver stars fitness ads. Feel better…