Carlos Alvarez, a 48-year-old man who lived in the Bronx, died after his shirt got stuck in a New York City subway station’s escalator in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to NBC New York.
Alvarez fell on the escalator, NBC New York reported. His shirt then reportedly got caught in it and strangled him to death.
The New York City Police Department was called at 3:46 a.m. local time on Sunday with a report of an emotionally disturbed person at Intervale subway station.
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The NYPD told PEOPLE in a statement, “Upon arrival, officers discovered a 48-year-old male unconscious and unresponsive on the top landing of the escalator. EMS arrived and transported the male to Lincoln Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death and the investigation is ongoing.”
The NYPD noted that Alvarez’s family was notified of his death. Footage reportedly shows Alvarez struggling to save himself as he was choked, according to PIX11.
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The incident was “an accident,” an anonymous MTA worker told the New York Post. “Somebody fell and went all the way up.”
“When I got off the train, I saw the guy stuck on the escalator. A lot of people were surrounding him,” Giovanni Fernandez, who witnessed the tragedy, told the outlet. “He was at the top. I saw the blood . His head was split open. All you see is this guy sprawled face down.”
The MTA told PEOPLE in a statement, “This is a tragic and unusual incident which is under investigation — our thoughts are with this man’s family and friends.”