Beijing (CNS)--On July 5, an accident occurred after the breakdown of a small part in an ascending escalator at the Beijing Zoo Station on Line 4. One died and 30 were injured. Following this accident, the Beijing Quality and Technology Supervision Bureau decided that a thorough check will be carried out on over 14,000 escalators and automatic sidewalks to avoid potential safety hazards.
A teenage boy was killed and 30 others were injured, three seriously, on Tuesday morning when an ascending subway escalator at the Beijing Zoo Station suddenly reversed directions. A preliminary investigation showed the direct cause of the accident was the breakdown of a small part, movement of the drive, and then the reversal of the chains.
Among the 126,000 elevators in Beijing, 14,000 are escalators and automatic sidewalks. Special emphasis has been laid on management of particularly dense areas such as subways, rail stations, airports, and supermarkets.
During the two weeks of planned inspection, strict regulations will be adopted to ensure all functioning units to meet the safety standards.
This accident in Beijing has caused other cities, including Shenzhen and Shanghai, to look more closely at the public safety of their subways. In one week, a detailed examination of all 2,000 escalators will be completed in Shanghai. The Gangtie Company (Shenzhen) will jointly carry out the examinations with the service contractor.
Escalator accidents have occurred in Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing. But the fact that one tiny screw led to one death and 30 injuries is raising serious concerns about other cities' urban public safety.
Comments from the media provide some food for thought. Having "zero accidents" is too demanding for a subway with a daily load of over a million. However, the subway administrators are obligated to try their best to fulfill this goal, says the Beijing News. An editorial in the Jinghua Paper also pointed out that the quality of public facilities concerns the safety of residents and are of huge importance. Management departments and relative offices must take the responsibility, not only to run the subway system, but also to safeguard public security.
So far, of the 30 injured passengers, 19 have been sent home, five are staying in hospital for further observation, and six are still in critical condition.
