Escalator tragedy prompts shoppers' fears

In today's trending, tragic accidents with escalators have shoppers jittery around the machines, ATM shocks customer, a football field on top of a shopping mall, and burglars caught with huge haul.

A man jumps over the pedals. [Photo/CFP]

Escalator tragedy prompts shoppers' fears

After the two recent accidents involving escalators in which a mother was killed, everybody has become more cautious when taking escalators, often jumping off the steps onto the platform when they reach their floor.

When Xiang Liujuan, a 30-year-old woman and her son, were getting off the escalator in a shopping mall in Jingzhou, Hubei province last Sunday, the pedal in front of them suddenly broke and Xiang fell into the escalator. Before falling she pushed her son to safety but she showed no sign of life when rescuers retrieved her body.

Another accident happened in Wuzhou, Guangxi province on Monday. A one-year-old baby's left arm got stuck in the pedal of the escalator and was severely hurt.

Since then, many people have become paranoid that they would get "eaten" by escalators as well, so they have begun to step very softly on the pedal as they get off, or they try to walk along the side. Some even try to jump over three pedals as soon as they reach the floor.

A girl is lifted by her mother and brother as they reach the floor by escalator. [Photo/CFP]

Speaking of misbehaving machines, an ATM shocks a customer, leaving her fingers bloody in our next story.