One dead and 29 injured in escalator accident in China

A 13-year-old boy was killed and 29 others injured after an escalator in a busy Beijing subway station suddenly changed direction, sending passengers careening.

Xinhua News Agency reports that the incident occurred at 9:36 a.m. local time at Exit A of Zoo Station on subway Line 4, one of the newest lines in the Chinese capital.

The injured were taken to a nearby hospital and an investigation to determine the cause of the accident is underway.

According to reports, the deceased boy was on his way to the Beijing Zoo when the escalator he was riding on suddenly went into reverse. He died in the crush after the accident.

Beijing MTR Corporation, which operates the subway, said the incident forced the closure of one of the station’s three exits.

According to witness statements and some photos posted on microblogging sites such as weibo.com, several people were seen lying on the ground being helped by others.

Blood can be seen on the floor.

“People fell in a heap and the boy and his father were buried under others,” one of the injured witnesses told local media.

The government has called on all subway operators to immediately initiate inspections of facilities to ensure safety.

The defective escalator was manufactured by Otis and was still under warranty.