2025-07-20T03:14:51Z

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Imagine attending a concert to rock out with thousands of others, only to flee in terror because of a single cockroach! That's exactly what happened at a Beyoncé concert in Atlanta, where a young girl's fear of bugs led to a shocking stampede on an escalator.

As the Cowboy Carter show wrapped up at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, fans flooded out into the night, only to be met with unexpected chaos. Around midnight, a scream sliced through the humid Atlanta air, triggering panic and a rush that resulted in injuries across the crowd.

Stephany Fisher, the senior director of communications for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), reported that 11 people were injured when the escalator at Vine City Station became a scene of mayhem. One person suffered a broken ankle, while seven others were rushed to hospitals for cuts and scrapes. Two more sought medical assistance at their destinations, and one person declined transportation altogether.

The sudden panic was sparked when a 10-year-old girl, startled by a cockroach, reacted in fear. Her scream was like a match in a dry forest, causing people to stumble and fall as the escalator stopped and started erratically. MARTA police chief Scott Kreher confirmed the details of the incident, adding that footage had been shared on TikTok, documenting the young girl's fright.

The crowded escalator saw people sliding and tumbling over each other, described vividly by witness Jacobi Edwards as “a whole entire slide full of people.” The chaos was exacerbated by claims that the escalator may have malfunctioned, with its inspection certificate reportedly expiring soon.

Schindler, the manufacturer of the escalator, expressed their concern and commitment to safety, stating they would collaborate with MARTA and local authorities to investigate what happened.