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3-year-old girl severs two fingers in escalator in Salt Lake City

Posted at 4:19 PM, Sep 20, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-20 18:19:43-04

SALT LAKE CITY — A 3-year-old girl had two of her fingers partially severed in an escalator in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning.

“At 8:30 this morning we got a call from the Smith’s on 455 East and 500 South that a 3-year-old girl had gotten her fingers cut in an escalator, and it severed two fingers below the knuckle,” said  Audra Sorensen, a public information officer for the Salt Lake City Fire Department.

Medical personnel from the fire department’s Station 1 responded, and Sorensen said responders transported the girl to Primary Children’s Hospital within 3 or 4 minutes for treatment.

Sorensen said she isn’t sure exactly what led up to the accident, but she said the incident serves as a powerful reminder to be vigilant.

“I think that it’s a great reminder that accidents can happen anywhere at any time, and you should always just immediately call 911,” she said. “Be very attentive of things around you, because even though they are simple things you never know when, especially with young children, little accidents can occur.”

Sorensen said while warning signs on commonplace items like escalators may seem like overkill, it’s good to remember that the sign exists for a reason.

“Every warning sign feels like it’s too much, right? But the truth is everything has some kind of risk associated to it,” she said.