Poor parts led to Shanghai escalator accident

Poor quality parts and inadequate maintenance led to a Metro escalator accident that left 13 people injured, Shanghai's quality watchdog said yesterday.

During morning rush hour on April 2, commuters were sent tumbling after a worn driving chain snapped on an upward-moving escalator at Jing'an Temple station.

The manufacturer of the five-year-old escalator, the Guangzhou Otis Elevator Co, did not conduct strict quality control on the chain during manufacturing, said the Shanghai Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau.

And Otis Shanghai, which is responsible for escalator maintenance, failed to conduct proper checks on the protection system for the chain and brake, said the watchdog.

The Metro operator must also shoulder blame for its supervision of maintenance, the bureau said.

Guangzhou Otis has been told to undertake more frequent and thorough checks of its escalator parts.

Otis Shanghai has been ordered to replace other chains of the same model and conduct tests on the protection systems and brakes on other similar escalators.

And the Metro operator has been ordered to improve supervision of maintenance companies.

The companies will face administrative punishments, said Shen Weimin, deputy director of the bureau.

All the passengers injured in the accident have left hospital.