Woman carrying baby unhurt after escalator steps dislodge at HarbourFront Centre

A woman carrying a baby escaped unscathed after an escalator they were on malfunctioned and several steps became dislodged.

The incident occurred at HarbourFront Centre on Sunday (May 4) at about 2pm, according to the mall's management Mapletree.

Photos posted on social media showed the mangled steps at the top of the upward-moving escalator, with metal fragments strewn around the escalator landing.

The escalator, located between the second and third floors, was still being repaired when Shin Min visited the site on Monday at around 10.15am.

A notice was also put up by the mall's management informing patrons to use lifts or alternate escalators.

When interviewed, a shop assistant on the second floor told the Chinese evening daily that she heard a loud noise when the incident happened.

"I heard a loud 'boom' and when I looked up, I saw that the top escalator steps were bent out of shape and the escalator had also stopped running," said the woman.

She recalled that there was a woman riding the escalator at the time.

The woman was carrying a baby who looked to be a few months old with one hand, while she held a pram on the other, said the shop assistant, who did not want to be named.

The shop assistant noted that following the incident, the woman appeared too shocked to move, while her husband, who had not yet stepped on the escalator, quickly motioned for her to walk down.

"Thankfully the escalator had stopped moving. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when she safely made her way down," said the woman.

In its statement to AsiaOne, a Mapletree spokesperson confirmed that no injuries were reported in the incident.

The statement noted that a shopper "had brought a stroller onto the escalator, where one of the wheels became caught between the steps". 

"In an attempt to forcefully remove the stroller, the steps were subsequently dislodged, resulting in the escalator coming to a halt."

According to the statement, the escalators undergo monthly maintenance that are in line with safety and operational standards regulated by the Building and Construction Authority.

The spokesperson also reminded shoppers with strollers to exercise precaution and use the lifts located on every floor of the mall.

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