Langham Place in Mong Kok, Hong Kong attracts more than 200,000 visitors everyday, with over 1.8 million square feet of floor area and is a shopper’s paradise as it has 15 levels of retail shops.
It is also famed for having a 45m-long escalator connecting the fourth and eighth floor, which is noted as one of Hong Kong’s longest indoor escalators.
On Saturday afternoon, this escalator ferrying shoppers upwards suddenly started to speed up and reverse backwards, causing the passengers to lose their balance.
Source: Apple Daily
In a video that since went viral on social media, footage shows the horrifying moment the escalator malfunctioned, causing a huge human pile up at the foot of the escalator. People fell over one another as the escalator threw them backwards.
Shoppers were left in panic as the mall was filled with chaos.
According to Apple Daily, shoppers slid down the escalator while others tried to cling on to the handrail. 14 women and four men were injured in the accident. Thankfully, there were no broken bones.
Source: Apple Daily
One of the men suffered head injuries. All the victims were rushed to Kwong Wah Hospital and Queen Elizabeth to treat their injuries.
Source: Apple Daily
An injured woman said, “I was going up the escalator, and it was two times faster than normal.”
The escalator’s maintenance contractor, Otis Elevators, said that the malfunctioning escalator had just passed its annual inspection on 27 January, while they performed routine checks every two weeks. The last check was performed on Thursday, but they will cooperate with the mall and authorities to investigate the cause of the accident.
WOB wishes the victims of the accident a speedy recovery!
Also read: Malaysian Girl Gruesomely Injured In Sunway Pyramid Escalator Accident
