POLICE said the escalator accident at BTS Surasak station this evening (August 20) that left 27 people injured occurred after a large crowd of teenagers returning home from a concert at a nearby school rushed in amidst the rain but someone slipped at the top of the stairs moving up causing others too to tumble down, Matichon newspaper said.
However Ruam Katanyu Foundation rescuers had earlier said the escalator had malfunctioned.
Pol. Lt. Col. Somyot Bunnakaew, deputy inspector at Yanawa police station, said the teenagers had attended a concert at Bangkok Christain School held to mark its anniversary. When it ended at 6 p.m. they rushed to Surasak station and scrambled to get in amid the light rain and when someone slipped they all fell down like dominos.
This led to several minor injuries with the most serious being a torn foot.
Police will be checking the surveillance cameras at the station to determine whether the person or persons who triggered the fall down the escalator did so deliberately and if it was intentional they will face legal action.
Ruam Katanyu Foundation rescuers said when they got to the scene of the accident they found that most of the injured were female who were crying. A final tally showed 25 females and two males were injured and taken to nearby hospitals.
CAPTION:
The scene of the BTS station escalator accident this evening. Photos: Matichon
Also read: 14 injured as BTS escalator suddenly speeds up
One Reply to “Update: BTS escalator accident blamed on teenagers slipping and falling”