You know that rule you heard as a kid, about not horsing around on escalators? It’s one we tend to brush off, especially after a late night out. But it’s there for a reason. Early morning commuters found a dead man at the New Carrollton Amtrak station in Maryland. He was facing “up” the “down” escalator.

Authorities didn’t identify the victim in early reports, but clues point to someone who might have been out late, maybe heading home after last call and feeling just amped enough to take on the “wrong way” escalator challenge. Unfortunately, this quick thrill ended in tragedy.

According to ABC, surveillance footage revealed that the man started his climb around midnight. He made it almost to the top before things took a turn. Just before reaching the upper landing, he lost his balance and fell backward, tumbling down the moving steps and hitting his head at the bottom. But investigators diescovered another twist when they reviewed the footage: clothing trapped between the metal steps.

This detail, simple but chilling, suggests the machinery may have played a role. Parts of the man’s clothes became caught in the escalator’s powerful mechanisms, pinning him down as he fell. It’s unclear if he tried to get free or if he was knocked unconscious from the fall. But by the time morning commuters arrived, it was too late. His clothing remained stuck in the escalator’s teeth, hinting at the terrible series of events.

The tragic accident serves as a reminder of how risky escalator stunts can be. They’re easy to overlook—staples of every mall and station—but escalators are powerful machines. And once they’re in motion, a misstep can lead to more than just a scrape or bruise. The station continued running as investigators cleared the scene, a quiet end to a truly unfortunate event.