No one realized how dangerous escalator failures could be until the Tuesday morning accident in Beijing, which injured 28 and killed one teenage boy.
The ascending escalator at the Beijing Zoo Station, subway Line 4, came to a sudden halt and reversed directions. Apparently, it not only reversed directions but also shifted to “free-fall” speed, throwing the riders down the steps into a choatic human pile.
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“Blood was all over the escalator,” one woman who suffered from bloody nose and scratches told Global Times.
A 13-year-old boy, who was standing at the bottom, died, and his father and sister were severely injured. Most of the victims were immediately taken to the intensive-care unit at Peking University People’s Hospital.
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The accident occurred on one of Beijing’s newest subway lines. The Beijing Metro spokesman said the the Otis-brand escalators were still in guarantee period and had gone through routine examinations. He also said Beijing Metro will cover all medial expenses for the injured. Otis, however, postponed discussion about compensation until the investigation results come out.
