Man ‘fooling’ on escalator falls to death at mall

A man who was apparently “fooling around” and riding an escalator rail lost his balance and fell to his death at a Rhode Island mall.

Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements tells WPRO-AM the victim fell one floor, from the escalator at the movie theater level to the food court, at the Providence Place Mall just before 11 p.m. Monday.

Clements says the man lost his balance, fell backward, and hit his head on a table. He suffered “massive injuries” and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The victim was a 45-year-old Pawtucket man. His name wasn’t immediately released.

Police say the death appears to be accidental, but they’ll review surveillance video.

There have been a handful of deaths at the mall since it opened in 1999, including other people falling from escalators. A man died in 2006 after he jumped between escalators and fell.

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