Harrowing footage of a pilot's foot being "swallowed" by a travelator at Denver International Airport has been released online.
Kenneth Gow, a pilot who lives in Utah, suffered injuries to his foot and shoulder after he walked down a moving travelator with his luggage on November 4, 2022.
The lawsuit filed last December at the US District Court in Colorado states that as Gow approached the end of the walkway, he suddenly felt "a surge of pain in his foot and collapsed," as cited by News.com.au.
"Ken looked over and saw that his foot and shoe had been swallowed by the walkway as it was missing a plate," the suit claimed. "Ken’s foot, sock, and shoe were severely damaged."
Video of the incident obtained by outlets shows the pilot being helped by a good Samaritan after he fell to the ground when his foot became jammed in a missing piece of the comb plate.
The fellow traveler helped free his foot from the machine as other passengers watched on. Gow then stood up and explained the situation to airport staff, according to the clip.
The travelator was "not in proper repair" and "posed an unreasonable risk of injury to passengers on it," creating a "dangerous condition," the lawsuit contends, per Daily Mail.
The complaint claimed that TK Elevator Corporation "failed to exercise reasonable care in maintaining the moving walkway" and "knew or should have known of the unreasonably dangerous condition created by the improper maintenance."
Watch the incident below:The injured pilot went to the Utah Injury Clinic on November 7, 2022, to get treatment for injuries to his left ankle, left foot, and left shoulder. He has undergone physical therapy but remains in serious pain, according to the lawsuit.
Medics advised Gow to wear a foot brace, and diagnosed him with a strain of the left Achilles tendon as well as a contusion of the left foot, according to court documents.
Gow's attorney, Brian Aleinikoff, spoke out and said that not only did his devastated client suffer severe injuries, but he also missed about two weeks of work because the moving walkway was not repaired.
"Mr. Gow wants to make sure this doesn't happen to anybody else and just wants this elevator company to take some responsibility and accountability for what happened," Aleinikoff explained, per Denver 7.
When asked if DIA is responsible for Gow's injuries, the attorney said: "I think it just depends on what DIA knew and when they knew it. But I think without question, the bulk of the responsibility falls on the TK Elevator Company."
Gow is seeking an amount to be decided at trial for his medical expenses as well as damages for physical suffering, emotional distress, and mental anguish.
In a statement, Denver International Airport said (obtained by Denver 7): "The safety of our passengers and employees is always a top priority and we work diligently every day in partnership with our contractors to address issues."
