HarbourFront Centre escalator steps dislodged after stroller wheels get caught between steps
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No injuries were reported from the incident, which occurred at the Harbourfront Centre on May 4.
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SINGAPORE – A woman with a baby escaped unscathed after the wheels on her stroller got caught between two escalator steps at HarbourFront Centre on May 4.
No injuries were reported from the incident, which had occurred at around 2pm, said a spokesperson for Mapletree, the real estate development company that manages the mall.
The shopper’s stroller got stuck between two steps on the escalator, and in an attempt to force it free, the steps were dislodged, and the escalator came to a grinding halt.
Said the spokesperson: “Our escalators undergo monthly maintenance, in line with safety and operational standards regulated by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA). As a safety reminder, shoppers with strollers are advised to exercise precaution and use the lifts accessible on all floors of HarbourFront Centre.”
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a BCA spokesman said the stroller’s wheels coming into contact with the step had triggered the escalator’s safety switch, immediately stopping the escalator.
The authority added that it discourages the practice of carrying strollers or other bulky items on escalators.
A stroller brought onto an escalator moving upwards will hinder the steps from levelling into a flat platform at the transition area, BCA said. Wheels wedged between steps will prevent them from closing up, potentially dislodging the steps and triggering a stop.
A major reason for escalator-related incidents is users bringing along bulky items like shopping trolleys, suitcases or strollers, added BCA. From 2022 to 2024, an average of 771 escalator-related incidents were reported to the authority annually, with 97 per cent of these attributed to user behaviour.
