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Escalator glitch injures 13 at Jing’an Metro

2014-04-03 12:33 Shanghai Daily Web Editor: Yao Lan
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In yet another incident involving a malfunctioning escalator, 13 people were injured, one of them seriously, when the conveyor transport device carrying morning rush hour commuters at Jing'an Temple Metro station suddenly reversed.

The upward-moving escalator, that connects Line 7 with Line 2, abruptly headed down at 8:20am, sending commuters into a free fall. Metro staff pressed the emergency button to stop the device.

The injured were rushed to the Jing'an District Center Hospital. A woman, who fractured and dislocated her cervical vertebra, was admitted to Huashan Hospital. Most of them suffered bruises and minor injuries.

The escalator was manufactured by Guangzhou Otis Elevator Co and was put into use five years ago. Otis Shanghai is responsible for its maintenance.

The escalator was inspected on July 26 last year and was due for another maintenance check on August 20 this year.

"It went backward all of a sudden and at a high speed. It was morning rush hour and the escalator was almost packed.

"Commuters standing at a higher fell on those behind them," said a victim, surnamed Sun, who had bruises on her arm and legs.

The Shanghai Transport Committee has asked Otis Elevator Co to investigate the accident.

Initial investigation suggested a broken chain inside the escalator may be the reason for the accident. Commuters have to take the steps to transfer lines now.

The Metro operator apologized for the incident and said it will carry out checks on all escalators and elevators to ensure similar incidents do not happen again.

On August 18, 2011, an Otis escalator on Metro Line 4's Yangshupu Road Station reversed while going up. Fortunately, there were no injuries.

Otis maintenance workers said the malfunction was caused by rainwater which had seeped into the escalator.

In November 2003, an escalator in Xinzhuang Station on Line 1 reversed and injured over 10 commuters. The incident was blamed on a broken driving chain inside the machine.

The escalator was manufactured by Shanghai Escalator Co.

In Beijing, a 13-year-old boy was killed and 30 others injured when a malfunctioning Otis-made escalator on Beijing Subway Line 4 reversed suddenly on July 5, 2011.

Guangzhou Otis Elevator, Beijing Otis Elevator, and their parent company, Tianjin-based Otis Elevator (China) Investment Co, were fined between 100,000 to 200,000 yuan (US$32,230).

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