Have you had enough of hearing about dodgy escalators injuring people in Singapore?
Well the faulty escalator strikes again, this time at The Centrepoint on Orchard Road last Thursday (7 September).
Faulty escalator The Centrepoint Orchard
What happened?
Two shoppers with a stroller were using the escalator located at Basement 1 of the mall. Around 2pm, it broke down due to a malfunction, according to a Channel NewsAsia report.
One of the shoppers involved in the incident, Tran Huu Minh said he heard a crunching sound while stepping off the escalator.
“I screamed at my maid to jump off and luckily she did,” said Mr Tran, further explaining that, “if not her leg would have been injured or crushed. Because exactly where she was standing was where the step collapsed in.”
Mr Tran also explained that he was with his 4 year old daughter when the incident happened.
“Usually she (his daughter) would walk with me. But yesterday she was sleepy, so she was in the pram,” he said.
His helper is still reportedly very upset by what happened and sustained some minor injuries due to the accident.
The Centrepoint spokesperson confirmed the injury and said they are in touch with the shoppers.
“We have notified the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and are working with escalator vendor Otis to investigate the incident. We regret any inconvenience caused and continue to encourage all shoppers with luggage, prams or trolleys to use the lifts instead.”
Meanwhile, the BCA has issued a notice to suspend the escalator until the incident has been investigated and rectification works are properly completed.
Last month in a similar incident, a four-year-old girl got her foot stuck in a malfunctioning escalator at White Sands Mall.
Escalator safety for families with kids
Mums and dads, we’d like to remind you of some basic escalator safety tips when out and about with kids you should always keep in mind.
Getting on the escalator
- Watch the direction of the moving steps — When stepping on, refrain from standing on the yellow lines as they separate to form steps as the escalator moves. Also make sure you don’t ride up the wrong side as not only is it embarrassing, it is extremely dangerous and could result in serious accidents.
- Hold on to your kid’s hands — Little children may not have a balance as good as yours, so make sure that you steady your child and keep them close to you.
- Don’t bring bulky or heavy things onto the escalator — Besides blocking the way of other users, carrying big items like strollers or shopping carts may hinder your movement and cause you to fall more easily.
While riding the escalator
- Grip the handrails firmly — This will prevent you from losing your balance should you get pushed by the crowd. In MRT stations in Singapore, there intercom announcements reminding passengers to hold on to the handrails at all times.
- Never sit on the handrails — Handrail riding, a major cause for most escalator accidents around the world, is a cause for many fatal accidents which could have been avoided.
- Don’t run up or against the movement — Kids may find it fun to climb against the direction of the escalator, but one small trip could result in serious injury, so parents should take precaution to warn their children not to.
Getting off the escalator
- Move away briskly — After you step off, don’t hog the area as other users behind you might find difficulty moving getting off too and this could result in pushes and shoves that might lead to a fall.
- Step over the teeth of the escalator — This is especially important for kids as their smaller feet might get caught into the moving ends of the escalator teeth, causing serious harm.
Stay safe mums, dads and kids! For more on escalator safety from theAsianparent, please read the following articles:
Why your kid mustn’t play on escalators
How to keep your kid safe on escalators
Source: Channel NewsAsia,