Rogue escalator randomly switches direction sending dozens of commuters tumbling


Rogue escalator randomly switches direction sending dozens of commuters tumbling

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Rush hour at Sunae station in Budang-gu, South Korea took a horrifying turn when an escalator unexpectedly reversed its direction, causing commuters to be thrown to the ground. The Korea


Herald reported that at least 14 people were injured, with three of them sustaining serious injuries. Security footage captured the alarming moment when the bustling escalator at the crowded


subway station in Gyeonggi Province suddenly went rogue. Instead of ascending, the escalator started descending, resulting in terrified passengers tumbling downstairs and forming a pile at


the bottom. The video also shows one individual falling onto the neighbouring escalator. At 8:20 a.m. local time, the South Korean Fire Service was informed of the incident after receiving


emergency calls. Authorities from the police and fire departments said that while eleven other people received medical attention for minor wounds, three people were transported to the


hospital with severe back and leg injuries. Images taken there show first responders providing basic medical care to the casualties, including a woman who was found flat on the ground next


to Exit No. 2 of the station. The broken escalator was then secured and blocked off after the malfunction. The fire service has stated that it will investigate the incident to find out what


went wrong. According to a news outlet called Korea JoongAng Daily, a 68-year-old resident said: "I thought people were filming a disaster movie after seeing so many people crowded


around the fenced exit." In May, a maintenance company performed a routine monthly inspection on the escalator and found no problems. Additionally, the Korea Elevator Safety Agency


conducts its own annual inspections on escalators. To investigate the accident, the Railroad Special Judicial Police Unit, which operates under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and


Transport, will take charge of the investigation. Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon wrote on Twitter: "Authorities, including the fire services, are currently looking into the cause of


the accident, "We will investigate thoroughly so that no similar accidents occur." The responsibility for investigating the accident falls upon the Railroad Special Judicial Police


Unit, which operates under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. They have committed to examining whether any defects were present and if adequate inspections were conducted.