Another escalator plate collapses in China
In July, a mother died saving her son after she pushed him to safety following an escalator plate giving way beneath them.
The video of her selfless act went viral, raising concerns about the safety of escalators in China.
On Sunday (Sept 13), another escalator malfunctioned in the same way in a shopping mall in Liaoning, China.
But this time round, the woman who was on the escalator when it happened, survived.
South China Morning Post reported the woman had a narrow escape when she heard the metal plate behind her collapse after she got onto the escalator.
She quickly ran down the rest of the escalator as staff at the mall hurried to shut it down.
According to Shanghaiist, no one was injured in the accident.
The use of the escalators in this mall has been suspended as an investigation into the incident is being carried out.
It is not known whether this escalator was also made by Suzhou Shenlong Elevator Co, the company which manufactured the escalator that caused that mother's death in Hubei in July.
In that case, investigators found that the escalator plates were poorly designed which was why they became loose and tilted easily out of their frames.
Safety authorities in China had ordered all escalators made by this company to cease operation and be subjected to safety checks.
This is the latest in a spate of recent escalator accidents in China.
In July, a toddler was injured when his arm was trapped in the escalator at a Guangxi mall.
Last month, a cleaner had to have his leg amputated after he also got stuck in an escalator in a Shanghai mall.
According to China Radio International (CRI), safety experts believe that people should take extra precautions when they use the escalator.
Firstly, they should be fully alert when getting on an escalator.
People should hold the handrail while on an escalator and learn how to use the stop button when an accident happens.
Source: South China Morning Post, Shanghaiist, CRI
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now