SINGAPORE - A man in his 20s was taken to hospital after his foot was caught in an escalator at Bugis Junction.

The accident happened at about 9.15pm on Wednesday (Nov 16) at an escalator leading from the basement to the first story of the shopping mall.

He was stuck for about half an hour, witnesses said.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) had to be activated to release the man's foot from the escalator using hydraulic rescue tools.

He was taken to Singapore General Hospital, SCDF said.

The man, who is 27, was treated for a toe injury at the hospital, said Ms Ivy Ang, general manager of Bugis Junction.

"Our staff have visited the shopper and we will continue to be in touch to provide him with the necessary support," Ms Ang said.

Passers-by took videos and photos of the accident.

Mr Tim Maohuan, 33, was shopping with his wife at level two of the mall when he noticed a queue building up at the escalator.

He saw three young men holding the man whose foot was trapped. The man looked calm but worried, he said.

"One of the teenagers asked him to remove his jacket and later his tie, to make him feel more comfortable," Mr Tim, a flight attendant, told The Straits Times.

Two security guards came over and they tried with the young men to pull the man's foot out but failed, he said.

Mr Tim then called the SCDF, who responded within 10 minutes, he said.

"Nobody expected this to happen, it showed that anybody can be exposed to this risk," he said.

His video, shared on Stomp, showed SCDF personnel surrounding the man, who was in a white shirt.

He was sitting in an awkward position while a young man appeared to be supporting him as he went through the ordeal.

When he was successfully rescued, the crowd at the mall applauded.

SCDF added that it sent one fire engine, a Red Rhino, one ambulance, and one support vehicle to the scene.

Ms Ang said that the mall is now checking that its escalators are " functioning well and meet safety requirements".

"The safety of our shoppers is of paramount importance to us. We are currently investigating the cause of the incident and will take the necessary actions to prevent a recurrence," she said.

Correction note: An earlier version of the story stated that the man was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital . This is incorrect. He was taken to Singapore General Hospital. We are sorry for the error.